Rekindling Their Bonds
by Viper Inferno
Summary: After 2 years of traveling the world to search for Navi, Link returns to Hyrule and reunites with Saria. But are they just rekindling their close friendship, or perhaps something more? Soon, many twists and turns will put their special bond to the test.
1. Prologue

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Prologue

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe, with this prologue taking place right before the events of Majora's Mask.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Prologue

It was a beautiful afternoon in Hyrule Field. The gentle breeze carried the aroma of the grass and flowers about the air. The peahats remained rooted in the ground, leaving the animals to scurry about in harmony. All this made for a perfect day for a horseback ride.

Link had only recently begun riding the young filly after defeating Ganondorf. Though barely than a year old, Epona became strong enough to not only fly like the wind, but also carry the 10-year-old boy in the process. So now and then, Link would visit the Lon Lon Ranch, where Malon and Talon would give him riding lessons. Then, Link would take Epona out for a solo ride throughout Hyrule Field.

Today was another one of those days that Link would spend alone with his equine friend. Throughout Hyrule Field, Link rode Epona at varying speeds, from a casual trot to a full gallop. They also jumped over many obstacles, from logs and bushes to hedges and small fences. Link was quickly becoming a proficient rider as he and Epona took to the fields like their minds were one.

Suddenly, the sun eclipsed, turning the entire sky black as night with the sun's corona being the only light. Epona suddenly screamed and reared, dropping Link hard to the ground, and bolted.

"Epona, wait!" Link called out to his equine friend, but it was no use as Epona disappeared into the darkness.

"Link, help me," a rather high-pitched ethereal voice called out to him.

Link quickly leaped to his feet and glanced about the darkness all around him, searching for the origin of the voice. But despite looking all around him, Link could find nothing with this pitch black sky. However, something about that voice struck him as familiar.

"Link, they're after me, help!" the ethereal voice cried out. And suddenly, a group of large and muscular monsters with bulldog-like faces and pig's noses known as "Moblins" riding on large boars called "Bullbos" sped by Link, knocking him back to the ground. He quickly jumped back to his feet, dusted himself off, drew his Kokiri Sword, and turned to the galloping Moblins. A group of about 8 Moblins were galloping at full speed, brandishing their spears like they were homing in on their pray. But when the group took a sudden turn, Link discovered what it was that the Moblins were chasing. Links eyes sprung wide open and his body burned inside as he recognized the small ball of light fleeing from the Moblins.

"Navi!!!" Link screamed as he dashed toward the fleeing fairy.

"Link, heeeelp," Navi hollered as she turned and flew toward Link with everything she had. In no time at all, the two sped by each other. Link quickly dropped a bomb between them, hoping to slow the pursuing Moblins down. The bomb abruptly exploded, spooking all 8 Bullbos and causing them to throw their riders.

Link quickly dispatched two of the Moblins before they others could recover. When they did, Link clashed with the monstrous pig-faces, quickly losing the upper hand in the 6-on-1 battle. Link thought fast and ducked under rand around the group, tripping one Moblin and slashing the other. But just as he was about to drive his blade into the tripped-up Moblin, they all disappeared, dissolving into blue flames.

"Link, help!" Navi's horrified voice screamed.

Link turned around to see Navi in the distance, flying back toward Link as fast as her wings could carry her. Suddenly, a figure clad in a black robe appeared between them from out of nowhere. And just as quickly as he appeared, the figure formed a ball of energy above his head and fired a massive bolt of lightning at Navi, striking her dead on and causing her to fall lifeless to the ground.

"Navi, no!" Link screamed as he ran toward his fallen guardian, completely ignoring the robed figure.

"Humph. So much for your guardian, Hero of Time," the robed figure taunted in a deep and resonant voice. He then transformed into a mass of purple energy and vanished into the sun's corona.

Link kneeled down over his fallen guardian fairy, who had only a faint glimmer of light left to her.

"Link... I'm so sorry... that I... left you..." Navi gasped before that last glimmer of light went out. And before Link could even reach down to hold his dear guardian, a vicious bolt of lightning struck him, utterly blinding him.

..

Link suddenly shot back up, breathing heavily with his hard pounding and his face sweating bullets from what had just happened. However, other than a massive adrenaline rush causing his chest and extremities to burn, Link felt perfectly normal. If anything, that bolt of lightning only served to scare the living daylights out of him. But when he glanced all around him, he found only the wooden walls and furniture of his house in Kokiri Forest. The then turned to his window, finding not the pitch black of earlier, but rather the meager light of early dawn.

"Not another one of these dreams," Link thought to himself, concluding the meaning of everything he had just witnessed. He threw his blankets off and tossed his legs over the side of the bed. There, he sat and pondered his rather horrifying dream.

'These dreams have been bothering me for the last two weeks now,' he pondered. 'I've only been without Navi since we defeated Ganondorf last month. And now, I can't even have any peace without these dreams bothering me. Why do these dreams bother me so much? Is it because I had a guardian fairy and now I don't? Has something happened to Navi? Or Will something happen to her?'

"I need to talk to someone about it," Link said to himself. So he stood up from his bed and walked over to his wardrobe. There, he took his tunic and belt, his Kokiri Boots, and his hat. With his trademark Kokiri outfit, he quickly got dressed.

He then pulled the curtain to his door aside and walked out to his balcony. The village of Kokiri Forest was rather quiet, with only the leaves being heard as they rustled in the gentle wind. Not a single Kokiri could be found, which didn't surprise Link since it was still early dawn and the light from the sun had not yet shown itself as their wakeup call.

He then slid down his ladder and began to walk toward Saria's house. 'Saria understands me better than anyone here, so maybe I'll tell her about my dreams,' Link thought to himself as she walked. Moments later, he arrived at Saria's house. Moments later, he arrived at Saria's house and then lightly rapped on her doorframe. "Saria, are you awake?" he said in a quiet voice, but heard only silence in response. So he gently moved her curtain aside and stuck his head inside. There, he saw Saria sleeping peacefully on her bed.

Link glanced at his sleeping friend for a moment. 'Sweet Saria,' he thought to himself. 'She must be having some pleasant dreams. So I'd rather not wake her.' Giving up, Link let Saria's curtain fall closed and turned away from her house. Then, another idea came to him.

'I know. I'll talk to the Great Deku Sprout,' Link thought to himself. 'He's the only other one here who understands me.'

So he walked across the Kokiri Forest and toward the passage to the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. With Mido still asleep, there was no one to stand guard over the passage. So Link casually walked inside. There, a number of Deku Babas dotted various spots along the path. Link immediately froze, not wanting to become the target of the Deku Babas' vicious attacks as he was unarmed.

However, the Deku Babas remained completely motionless. And when Link slowly approached one of them, he found them to be merely sleeping. Link let out a sigh of relief and slowly tip-toed by the savage plants. Once past them, Link arrived in the vast meadow where the Great Deku Sprout and his predecessor stood. The Great Deku Sprouts fairies slept peacefully in the branches of the old Deku Tree and all about the meadow.

"Come hither, Link," the Great Deku Sprout summoned, immediately aware of Link's arrival. Link complied and approached the Great Deku Sprout, then casually sat in the meadow before him. "Dost something trouble thee, my child?" the Great Deku Sprout asked.

"Yeah, these dreams I've been having the last couple weeks," Link explained. "I've only been without Navi since last month, but she keeps appearing in my dreams."

"And thou worry thyself over her every time, dost thou," The Great Deku Sprout added.

"Yes, I do," Link replied. "She's my guardian fairy. I was very happy when the Great Deku Tree sent her to me to accompany me on my last adventure, even if we didn't always get along at first. We were always together throughout my adventure though the good times and the tough times. And now that she's gone, it's like I've lost a friend."

"I can understand why that troubles thee," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Although thou art a Hylian and not a Kokiri, having Navi made you feel truly at home amongst your peers here in Kokiri Forest."

"Yeah, and Saria was really happy for me when I received Navi as my guardian fairy," Link added before he paused for a moment. "Why did she leave so suddenly after we defeated Ganondorf? I thought we were always to be together, even if I'm not a Kokiri."

"Well, it is true that I sent her to thee to accompany thee on thy adventure," said the Great Deku Sprout. "However, thy pairing was meant to be neither temporary nor permanent. Thou art all my children, be thou Kokiri, fairy, or even Hylian. But, thou possess thy own free will. Thus, the reason Navi hast left thee is something that only Navi knows."

"I see," Link meekly replied, staring at the ground between them. "Do you know where she is now?"

"I'm sorry, my child, but I know not where Navi's adventures take her," the Great Deku Sprout replied.

"But I keep having these dreams about her, nightmares even," said Link, then stood as determination began to take him over. "And I've had dreams like these before that ended up coming true. I have to know that she's okay. I have to know her reason for leaving."

"So thou intend to set out and search for Navi?" the Great Deku Sprout concluded.

"Yes. I have to," Link replied. "I just won't feel right if I don't."

"I understand," said the Great Deku Sprout. "I see thy last adventure hast made thee both courageous and tenacious. However, without knowing where Navi's adventure hast taken her, thy road to her may take thee through many ordeals, many of them dangerous.

"I know. Was my last journey any different?" Link responded as he turned away from the Great Deku Sprout. "I have to find Navi. She means a lot to me. She was my friend."

"And what of thy friends here in Kokiri Forest?" the Great Deku Tree asked, prompting Link to turn back to him. "What will they think if thou leave them again?"

"Oh please, Mido would be glad to see me go again," Link answered sarcastically. But suddenly, more thoughts hit him like a bolt of lightning, bringing a frown upon his face. "But... that means I have to leave Saria again," Link sadly muttered.

"And Saria means so much to thee, dost she not," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Yeah... she does," said Link as he turned and began to make his way out of the meadow.

"Link, thou may need this," said the Great Deku Sprout as a large Deku Stick dropped from the branches of his deceased predecessor. "The sun hast risen. The Deku Babas shall certainly be awake from their slumber. I wish thee many blessings from the goddesses on thy journey."

Link quietly took the Deku Stick and left the meadow without as much as a word. After knocking down the very awake and very angry Deku Babas, Link made it back to the entrance to Kokiri Forest. There, Mido stood with his arms crossed, glaring at him.

"And just what were you doing with the Great Deku Sprout this early in the morning?" Mido demanded before noticing the Deku Stick in Link's hands. "And without a sword and shield, no less."

"Well good morning to you too, Mido," Link responded, shoving the Deku Stick into Mido's quick hands as he walked by.

"Humph," Mido huffed to himself, resting the Deku Stick over his right shoulder. 'What's gotten into him?' Mido thought to himself. 'Is he still sulking over losing his fairy? Pitiful.'

Link continued his walk through Kokiri Forest as many of the other Kokiri were emerging from their houses. As he approached his tree house, a cheerful voice startled him. "Good morning, Link."

Link quickly regained his composure and turned toward the voice to see Saria waving at him. Immediately, thoughts of him having to leave her again struck him hard, bringing a frown to his face. "Morning, Saria," Link meekly replied as he turned away from her, trying his best to hide his worries.

However, his attempt was futile as Saria immediately noticed the troubled look on his face and began to frown. "What's wrong, Link?" she asked, walking up to her best friend.

"I had another bad dream last night," Link replied.

"Well, no wonder you're awake and out here earlier than usual," Saria teased with a big grin on her face, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, and I went to see the Great Deku Sprout too," said Link, oblivious to Saria's teasing.

Saria's eyes sprung wide open in amazement. "Really? Did he summon you again?"

"No, I visited him," Link replied as more anxiety stirred up within him. Then, he turned to Saria, looking straight into her sapphire eyes. "Hey Saria, can we meet at our secret place later? I just need to be alone for a little while."

"Um... okay," Saria replied as Link turned toward his house and made his way there. Saria only frowned and stared down at the ground. 'Something is really bothering him this morning,' she thought to herself. 'It's not the first nightmare he's had, but now he looks really troubled. What did the Great Deku Sprout say to him? Now I'm really worried about him. Oh goddesses, please let Link be okay.'

Saria then turned away and walked toward the entrance to the Lost Woods as Link disappeared into his tree house.

_Hours Later..._

Link awoke from a rather short nap and sat up in his bed. With so much flowing through his mind, the Great Deku Sprout's words, his friend Navi, and his best friend Saria, Link had quickly worn himself out with worry and ended up snoozing.

Now, Link's decision to leave Kokiri Forest, and quite certainly all of Hyrule, to look for Navi dominated his mind. And if that didn't trouble him enough, having to leave Saria behind really tore away at him. Link couldn't bear to worry himself to sleep again, so he stood up from his bed.

"I'll have to talk to Saria and tell her," he said to himself. With his decisions made, Link ran out of his house and slid down the ladder. He then dusted himself off and turned to walk toward the Lost Woods.

Once there, he immediately heard "Saria's Song" echoing throughout the forest. So as usual, Link let the music be his guide, despite having been in the Lost Woods enough to know his way, and followed the upbeat tune. After dodging a few birds and Mad Scrubs, Link quickly made his way through the Lost Woods and arrived at the entrance to the Sacred Forest Meadow.

There, Saria sat on her stump as she continued to play her song, oblivious to Link's arrival. So Link walked up to her, careful as not to disturb her, and sat before her and listened to her song. 'I am definitely going to miss this,' he thought to himself as Saria finally finished her song.

She glanced up from her ocarina to find Link sitting, looking into her eyes, and enjoying her song. "Well hi, Link," she greeted. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little bit," Link replied. "I just needed some time alone to straighten things out and ended up snoozing."

Saria modestly covered her mouth and let out a slight giggle. "Well, that's what happens when you wake up too early." Saria then hopped down from the stump and leaned back against it, with Link moving in to join her.

"You're right, Saria. I've just had so much on my mind recently, that I couldn't help it," said Link.

"You miss Navi, don't you?" said Saria.

"Yes, I do. She was my guardian fairy," Link replied. "But recently, I've been having weird dreams of her."

"Yes, I know," said Saria. "But today, you seem even more bothered than ever. Something must've happened this morning. I know it, and I'm worried about you."

"My nightmare last night..." Link began, pausing to take in a deep breath. "...was horrible. I saw these Moblins chasing Navi. I fought them off, but this figure dressed in black came and blasted Navi." Link paused again as his heart started beating faster and a single tear rolled down his cheek. Saria laid her hand on his shoulder as he continued. "I witnessed Navi's death. It was so terrifying. I couldn't save her."

"Oh no..." Saria gasped, giving Link's shoulder a sympathetic and affectionate squeeze.

"I had to tell somebody about it," Link continued. "I came by your house first, but when I peeked in, you were still asleep. I didn't want to wake you, so I decided to talk to the Great Deku Sprout since he's the only other one here who understands me like you do."

"No wonder you were already out so early," Saria commented. She then clasped her hands together in her lap. "So what did the Great Deku Sprout think about it?"

"He didn't say very much about it, except that he doesn't know where Navi has gone or why she left," Link replied.

"But surely you talked about more," said Saria. "There had to be more than just the dreams bothering you."

"Well, I thought I would be okay with Navi gone. I thought I had already mourned for her leaving," Link explained. "We all celebrated Ganondorf's defeat. Afterward, I decided to come back to where I had spent my life the last 10 years. I really thought that I would get over losing Navi... until these dreams came. And they've only gotten worse."

"I see," Saria meekly answered, glancing down at the ground in front of her. "I figured that losing Navi would still be bothering you. But what do you think it all could mean? Your dreams?"

"I really don't know what it all means," Link sadly replied. "Could it be the fact that I lost my guardian fairy beckoning me? Could it be some kind of glance into the future? Is Navi in danger? Or is it something else I can't even figure out?"

"I can understand why that would bother you so much," said Saria.

"The Great Deku Sprout said that our pairing was neither temporary nor permanent... like it was supposed to be our choice," Link continued.

"And Navi chose to leave," Saria added.

"Yeah. We were partners during our last journey," Link explained. "But if Navi had left then because we defeated Ganondorf and our quest was over, wouldn't she have come back to the Great Deku Sprout with all the other fairies?"

"I guess you're right," said Saria. "Maybe Navi went on an adventure of her own."

"Maybe," Link agreed. "Or maybe it's because I'm a Hylian and not a true Kokiri."

"But you are Kokiri," Saria said, looking right at Link. "Maybe not by blood, but in spirit. Kokiri Forest has been your home for 10 years. We and the Great Deku Tree adopted you into our village. Even if Mido won't accept you as one of us, you are every bit Kokiri, even if you don't have a fairy. You even chose to live with us again after your quest was over. So Navi or no Navi, you are one of us."

"I know, Saria, I know," said Link. "But I don't know why Navi left. She never told me why she was leaving nor did she even say 'goodbye'. She just... disappeared."

"I'm sure Navi had her reasons. And I'm sure she'll be okay," said Saria.

"But what if she won't," Link interjected. "We both know I've had these dreams come true before."

Saria then back her face away from his. "Link, something else is bothering you, something you and the Great Deku Sprout talked about, and I'm scared to know what it is."

Link sat silently with his eyes turned away from Saria's. 'I just came back, and now I have to leave again,' he thought to himself. 'Please don't be mad at me, Saria.'

"Link?" Saria begged, breaking his train of thought.

"Something about Navi isn't right, something about her leaving so suddenly, and something about these dreams. Even the Great Deku Sprout doesn't know," Link explained. "But I have to know why Navi left. I have to know that these dreams are just dreams."

Saria turned away from Link and curled herself up in the fetal position, as she concluded her fears to be true. "So you're leaving again..." she gasped. "...aren't you?"

"Yes... I'm sorry," Link sadly replied.

"But... but... you just came back from your quest last month," said Saria.

"I know. I much as I like being home again, as great as it really is, this keeps bothering me," said Link.

"And now the Great Deku Sprout is sending you out on another quest because no one knows where Navi is?" Saria added.

"Actually, he didn't send me out. But, he isn't telling me not to go either. I'm going because I've chosen to," Link explained.

"But why?" Saria pleaded, meeting Link's eyes with her own.

"Because, Navi is my friend," Link replied. "I miss having her around to scold me or boss me around... or just to talk to. I was so excited when the Great Deku Tree sent her to me to be my guardian fairy."

"And I was so happy for you and proud of you when you got a fairy," Saria added.

"Yes, no one was more excited about it than you," said Link. "But with her gone, I feel like a part of me is missing. It's like... I'm not sure if I'll truly be happy unless I know she's okay."

"But..." Saria started to say, and then hesitated. 'He's not happy here? He's not happy that he still has his best friend? Why?' she thought to herself as she felt a burning in her chest, then turned back to Link. "But isn't being here in the Kokiri Forest, being with us, being with me... enough to make you happy?" she pleaded.

Link hesitated as Saria's words sunk into his head. 'Yes, being back home does make me happy. And seeing Saria everyday makes me very happy,' he thought to himself.

"Aren't I your friend too?" she continued.

"Yes," Link replied, and then turned to Saria to look into her beautiful blue eyes. "You're my best friend. You've always been there for me. You've stood up for me whenever Mido was being mean to me. We always played together. And you've always been my biggest supporter. You were the reason I decided to come back to Kokiri Forest."

Saria's eyes glistened as his words reached her. Link then placed both his hands on her shoulders as he continued. "But I also have Fado, the twins, the Know-It-All Brothers, Malon and Talon, Darunia, Nabooru, Princess Ruto, and Princess Zelda. They're all my friends... our friends. And if something were to happen to them, I would go out and help them too. But I can go and see them any time I want. But Navi... she left without even saying 'goodbye'. I don't know why she left or even if she's okay. She's helped me so much on my last adventure. I owe her so much, so I have to go and find her."

Saria turned her eyes to the grass between them and frowned. "I understand," she gasped. "You really are the best kind of friend anyone could ever ask for."

Link cracked a wee smile and replied. "Yeah... thank you, Saria. It's not just losing Navi that's bothering me. I have to find her, but that means that I have to leave you behind again... and that's what else is really bothering me."

They stayed there silently as thoughts of Link leaving on another quest dominated both their minds. Both were obviously distraught over it, sad that two best friends have to once again part. Then, Saria spoke up. "So, when are you going to leave?"

"I'll leave in the morning," Link replied. "I at least want to spend the rest of the day with you before I leave. Just us."

Saria looked up with a little bit of a smile on her face, flattered yet trying her hardest to be cheerful. "Really?"

"Yes. We didn't get to spend any time together before I left on my last quest," Link explained.

"But you at least came back to visit a few times. And we even got to play a few songs together," said Saria.

"Well..." Link started to say, and then slowly extracted his fairy ocarina, his most treasured gift from Saria, from its protective bag. "Want to play a few songs? We have all day." Link smiled at Saria as he asked her.

Saria smiled too as she took out her own ocarina. "Sure. I'd love to," she replied.

And both Saria and Link hopped back up and sat on the stump. There, they played a few cheerful songs together like they had been doing so for ages. They played not only solo songs together, but also songs meant for duets. However, despite their cheerful tunes, Saria could only think about losing Link again to another quest.

'Yes, Saria deserves it,' Link thought to himself in between songs. 'She's been there for me for so long. She's my best friend. So she deserves having me here for one more day before I set out.'

_That night..._

Saria laid in her bed, curled up under her sheets with her eyes wide open. The moon had risen hours ago, and all the other Kokiri had long since begun their slumber. Yet still, Saria laid there wide awake, unable to sleep in the light of recent events. Once again, Link was leaving her to embark on another adventure, and neither of them knew when he would return. And it was those thoughts that kept her awake that night.

"Great goddesses, I can't sleep," Saria sighed as she tossed her sheets off of her. "I want to see Link again."

So Saria tossed her legs over the side and stood from her bed. She then changed into her green shirt, tunic, and boots and quietly left her house. Once outside, she glanced up at the moonlight shining through the trees. And immediately, she became mesmerized at its beauty and let out a sigh. "I wish we could've at least sat together and gazed up at the moon through the trees," she whispered to herself.

After admiring the moonlight's beauty, Saria continued her short walk to Link's tree house. When she arrived, she lightly grasped his ladder and quietly climbed up to his balcony. She then tip-toed to his door and lightly knocked on the door frame. "Link, are you awake?" she said softly, barely above a whisper.

But, Saria heard nothing but the nighttime sounds of the forest. So she moved the curtain aside and tip-toed inside, only to find Link sleeping peacefully. "Link, you're always such a fast and heavy sleeper," she lightly whispered as she silently approached his bed. She then sat on her knees beside his bed and glanced at his tranquil face as she slept.

Link didn't so much as even twitch as Saria sat at his bedside. 'So peaceful,' Saria thought to herself. 'No one could tell by how peaceful he looks when he sleeps that he's about to leave on a dangerous adventure in the morning.' She then reached over to his face and gently brushed his bangs off his forehead.

"I can't believe you're leaving again," Saria gently whispered to her sleeping friend. "I was so happy when you came back to stay... but now I'm sad that you're leaving again on another quest."

Saria then clasped her hands together in her lap. "I really wish I could help you like I did on your last adventure, but I don't know where your travels will take you," she continued. "I just... don't know how I can help. I feel so powerless and so lonely. I miss Navi too, but I'll miss you even more. I won't get to play with you, play songs with you, swim in the pond with you, or even stand up for you against Mido."

Saria lightly placed her hand on Link's, frowning at both her thoughts and her own words, and continued. "You're my best friend. I've known you since the Great Deku Tree took you in as a baby. I watched you grow into a fine boy. I even supported you on your last quest. I had grown quite fond of you over the years. But now, I don't know what to do. I guess that I'm so used to you being here, that I feel like a part of me goes missing when you leave, and I suddenly feel lonely. I know the other Kokiri are here and keep me company, but they're not the same as you. You've always been different from us, but it never mattered, because you're my best friend and I'll always care about you."

Saria then let go of Link's hand and slowly pushed herself to her feet. "I don't know how long you'll be gone... just... please come back," she softly whispered as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Please come back to the forest, back to us... back to me."

Then, Saria quietly left Link's house and made her way back to her own. Although she would see him once more before he'd leave in the morning, it was still going to be a restless night for her.

_The next morning..._

It was a beautiful morning in Kokiri Forest. All the Kokiri were out and about the village, doing odd chores for Mido and everything else that good Kokiri boys and girls do in the morning. Link, however, had stayed busy in his tree house. He had packed his sword, shield, slingshot, fairy ocarina, rupees, and everything else he thought he would need on his journey.

Once packed, Link left his house and slid down his ladder. Then, he began to make his way through the village and toward the exit to Hyrule Field. But once he had made it to the middle of the village, the twins ran up to him to greet him. "Good morning, Link. I hear you're leaving us again," said one twin.

"To go search for Navi the fairy," the other twin added.

"Yes," Link replied with a slight frown. "I'm sorry to have to leave you all again. But how did you know I was leaving?"

"Saria told us last night before we went to bed," one twin replied.

"We'll all miss you, Link," said the other twin.

All Link could really do was frown at the thought of leaving them again. He loved being around these Kokiri. "Yeah, I'll miss everyone too," he replied.

"Mr. Link!" a man's voice hollered throughout the forest. The trio turned toward the village entrance to find a tall man wearing a white tunic, carrying a brown sack, running up to them. The man stopped before them and doubled over, his palms resting on his knees, as he fought to catch his breath.

"What's with this man in the forest?" the other twin wondered.

"A postman? Here?" said Link, looking equally puzzled.

The postman caught his breath and stood back up. "Are you Mr. Link," the postman asked. "I was told that he would be found in Kokiri Forest."

"Yes, I'm Link," Link replied.

"I have a letter for you," said the postman, reaching into his sack and extracting an envelope. Although it was a rather plain envelope with Link's name on it, it was wax-sealed with the crest of the Royal Family. The postman handed it to Link, then turned and quickly dashed off to his next destination.

"Wow, no one has ever gotten a letter from the outside before," said one twin.

"Who is it from?" the other twin asked.

Link knew exactly whom it was from. So without a word, he broke the seal and took the letter from the envelope. And as the twins gazed into his eyes, he read the letter:

..

_"Dear Link,_

_I had a strange dream last night, but it wasn't like my usual dreams, and it wasn't an omen either. But still, it told me a lot of things that were happening, and what is to come. I sense you're about to set out on another adventure by the time this letter reaches you, and you don't know where your journey will take you. I do sense that your journey will put you through many trials and tribulations, not unlike your last journey._

_Before you leave, would you please stop by Hyrule Castle and see me? I have a gift for you that I feel you will need on your next quest. I eagerly await you._

_Sincerely,_

_Zelda, Princess of Hyrule"_

..

"It's from Princess Zelda," Link replied as he finished reading the letter. He then folded the letter neatly and slipped it into his bag.

"Cool, the Princess," said the other twin.

"Well, I need to be off," said Link as he started toward the village entrance.

"Goodbye Link," said one twin, waving at him.

"Come back soon," said the other twin, also waving at him.

Link quietly left the village and began to make his way out of the forest. But when he reached the bridge over the Lost Woods connecting Kokiri Forest with the outside world, a girl's voice called out to him, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Link, wait!"

Link turned around to find Saria running onto the bridge. After catching her breath, Saria looked into his eyes, wearing a bit of a frown on her face. "So you're leaving now, huh?" she said. "And you won't change your mind?"

"No," Link sadly replied. "This is something I have to do, or else my soul will regret it forever."

"I knew you'd say that," Saria gasped. "But where will you go?"

"I have to go to the castle first," Link replied. "Zelda has something for me that will help me on my quest. After that, I'm going to Lon Lon Ranch to pick up Epona. After that... who knows."

"I see," said Saria, letting her eyes drift downward. "So this is goodbye?"

"Goodbye, yes... but not goodbye forever," Link replied. "I came back last time, and I even chose to live here again. So I'll certainly come back again."

"But you don't even know where you'll be going. Navi could very well have traveled far outside of Hyrule, places that none of us, not even you, have ever heard of," said Saria.

"I know, Saria. I'm very sure this journey will be a lot like my last one... long, full of adventure, and dangerous," said Link. "But... when I find Navi, I'll come back home. I don't know when I'll be back, but I will."

And the two stood there silently, afraid to say anything else to each other. They knew they had to say goodbye to one another, and it pained them to have to do so. That was why it was taking them so long to say goodbye. Finally, Saria spoke up, wondering. "You'll play my ocarina and think of me, right?"

"Of course I will, you're my very best friend," Link confidently replied. "I'll always think about you."

"And I know we'll always be the best of friends, no matter what," Saria added, and then drifted off again as she turned her eyes away from Link and sighed. "I just hope you find her and make it back okay."

"Believe me, I'll certainly do my best," Link proudly proclaimed.

"I know you're strong, Link. So I'll try my best to be strong for you too. But..." Saria paused for a moment, as a slight burning sensation began to accumulate in her chest from the anxiety. "I have a feeling... that you'll be facing some dangerous trials," she reluctantly continued. "If anything were to happen to you, I... just... don't..."

By then, the burning sensation had crept its way to her throat, and tears began to well up in her eyes. She quickly turned her whole face away from Link to hide her tears before he could notice. "No..." she gasped, and began to whimper. "No, I'm not going to cry... I'm not going to cry..."

Just as Saria had squeaked that last sentence, Link quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. When he did, Saria broke down crying.

"I don't want you to go, Link," Saria cried into his shoulder. "I don't want you to go."

"I know, Saria," said Link, gently stroking the back of her head as she cried. "I'm hurting too. I'm sad because leaving on this journey means that I have to leave you behind. It means that I won't get to see you for a while."

"You just came back, and now you're leaving again. I just can't bear to see you leave again, Link," Saria cried. "I don't know when you'll even be coming back. I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you too, Saria," said Link, with a tear of his own rolling down his cheek.

"The last time you left..." Saria said in between sobs. "I didn't cry... not until I got back home. This time... I told myself that I wouldn't cry... I wanted to be strong for you... I wanted to be happy for you...I wanted to give you my blessings... but... I can't help it... I just can't help it..." And again, Saria wept into Link's shoulder.

"Shhh... it's okay Saria," Link said softly, closing his eyes as he held Saria tightly in his arms, with another tear rolling down his cheek. "It's okay to cry when your best friend is going away."

"But I want you to stay," Saria cried. "I care about you, Link. And I don't want anything bad to happen to you. That's why I'm crying."

"Neither do I, Saria," said Link, tightening their embrace. "Neither do I... But I'll do my best to find Navi. And when I do, I'll come home fast... I promise."

"You really promise?" Saria whimpered, looking into Link's blue eyes with her tear-filled eyes.

"Yes, you're my very best friend in all of Hyrule," said Link. "I'll always come back to you and Kokiri Forest, no matter where my travels take me."

Saria smiled as the tears in her eyes rolled down her cheeks. "Well..." she started, loosening their embrace. "Go and find Navi, and bring her home to us."

"I will," said Link as he finally let Saria go. "I probably won't be able to come and visit like last time, but I'll be thinking about you. I'll try to write to you whenever I can, okay?"

"Thank you, Link," Saria gasped as she took her dark green sleeve and wiped the tears away. "That really means so much to me. You'd better go now before I start to cry again."

Link obediently backed away from Saria, and then smiled at her. "Goodbye, Saria." He then turned away and continued his way across the bridge toward Hyrule Field.

"Goodbye, Link," Saria gasped as Link disappeared into the forest. "You really do mean a lot to me, so please come home safe." She then turned around and made her way back toward Kokiri Forest as more tears began to run down from her blue eyes.

_Months later..._

Saria awoke earlier than usual. The sun had barely peaked over the horizon, shining very little light into the Kokiri Forest. Unable to close her eyes to get another hour of sleep, Saria threw her sheets off of her and sat up at the edge of her bed.

It had been just over three months since she said her very tearful goodbye to Link as he left on his adventure. However, despite his promises, Saria had not heard a single peep from Link. No letters ever made it to her, nor did he ever stop by to visit, even if the latter was expected. Saria tried to remain optimistic, thinking that the trials of his journey must be keeping him from writing her. And often times, Saria would go to the bridge outside of Kokiri Forest to await his return. But every time she did so, she went home disappointed and saddened. Yet, she had to keep her faith; she had to remain strong, for him.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on her door frame. "Hello? Ms. Saria?" a man's voice summoned from the other side of the curtain.

Saria jumped out of bed, startled by the voice of an older gentleman, which was a rare occurrence in Kokiri Forest. "Who is it?" Saria asked as she cautiously grabbed a Deku Stick from beside her bed.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Ms. Saria," the gentleman replied. "I am a traveling postman, and I have a letter addressed to you."

'A letter? For me?' Saria gleefully thought to herself. She quickly dropped the Deku Stick and dashed over to her door. She jerked the curtain aside to find the tall man in a white tunic, carrying a brown sack, and holding an envelope in his hand.

"Here you go Ms. Saria," said the postman as he politely handed the envelope to her. Saria quickly examined it as the postman made a mad dash out of the forest and toward his next destination. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw "To Saria, From Link" written on the front of it. She squealed for joy and immediately broke the seal on the envelope. She then quickly removed the letter and read:

..

_"Dear Saria,_

_I hope this letter makes it to you. You have no idea what I have to go through just to get a letter out of here. I've been on a pretty wild adventure as of late in a land called Termina. I'm writing to you now from my room at an inn in the beautiful Clock Town. I've sort of made my home here at this inn, as my quest seems to always bring me back here._

_I ran into a Skull Kid here... but he was not like the ones we know of. Ever since he wore this mask that he stole from the Happy Mask Salesman, he's turned evil and has been bent on destroying Clock Town. But worry not, because Epona and I are hard at work to wake these four giants in order to stop the Skull Kid's evil plans. We're even helping a lot of people with some odd jobs too._

_I'm doing pretty well here. I've met all kinds of interesting people, and I even have a fairy guardian helping me on my quest. Her name is Tatl, and she, along with her brother Tael, was the Skull Kid's companion. She's helping me in my quest to help save her brother and the Skull Kid from the mask's powers. However, she's no Navi by any means. She has a bit of an attitude, and can be quite brash and bossy, but she is also quite helpful._

_But there isn't a night that goes by that I don't think about you, the forest, and all my friends that I left behind. I can only hope that I finish my quest here in Termina soon so I can continue my search for Navi. I don't know where else my journey will take me, or when I'll be home. But when I find Navi, I'll come home quickly. I promise._

_Your very best friend,_

_Link"_

..

Saria grasped the letter and held it tightly to her chest. "Oh Link," she cried, her tears cascading down her cheeks. "You have no idea how happy you've just made me."

All Saria could do at that moment was cry. She was amazingly happy that Link was doing well, happy that he thought of her, and happy that it was thoughts of her that kept him going. And it was those thoughts that made Saria happy and kept her going.

_end of prologue_

_

* * *

_

I know the Great Deku Sprout doesn't speak archaically in the game like the Great Deku Tree did, but he does carry his predecessor's memories. So I wanted to make him a little more like his predecessor. I already have Chapter 1 finished and will be working on getting it transferred to my computer and posted here. Thank you for reading, and any reviews are welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	2. Chapter 1: Return To Hyrule

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 1

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. In this chapter, I am borrowing elements from a few other Zelda games. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 1: Return To Hyrule

It was a rather average late afternoon in Hyrule. The sun had traveled nearly halfway across the western sky, filling Hyrule Field with its ever-so-pure light, despite the many clouds scattered across the sky. The grass gave off a rather pleasant aroma from having gotten a soaking rain the night before. It was rain that always served to rejuvenate the true beauty of Hyrule.

It was in these fields where Link and Epona galloped freely. It had been just over two years since Link left Saria at the bridge near the entrance to Kokiri Forest, two years since he had left on his journey to search for Navi. During those two years, Link had traveled many distant lands, taking in many sights that he could only have dreamed of. And after two years, Link finally arrived at the edge of Hyrule Field near Lake Hylia.

Once they had galloped some distance into Hyrule Field, Link and Epona stopped to take in the sights, sounds, and smell of their home kingdom. Satisfied with the beautiful view, Link took in a huge breath, and then let out an audible sigh. "Wow, it sure feels great to finally be back in Hyrule," Link said to no one in particular.

"Yes it does. I can't believe it's been over two years since we were last here together," said Navi.

After his long journey, Link finally found Navi. And during their long trip back to Hyrule, they shared many stories of their travels. So now that they were back in Hyrule, Link just stood there with Navi hovering by his face, still admiring Hyrule's beauty.

"So now that we're finally home, where do we go first?" Navi asked.

"Well, I made a promise to a friend that I would go see her when I came back to Hyrule," Link replied. He then gave Epona a gentle kick to the side, prompting her to start walking, as he continued. "So we'll go to Kokiri Forest and see Saria."

"Well then, we'd better get going. It's already getting late in the afternoon," Navi said as she took off ahead of them.

Link gently stroked Epona's neck. "Ready, Epona?"

Epona let out an excited neigh in reply.

"Then let's go!" Link whooped, snapping the reins and giving Epona a firm kick to the sides. And then, they took off down Hyrule field at full speed.

Despite the vast expanse of Hyrule Field, traveling on horseback almost took no time at all, compared to traversing it on foot. So it took a lot less time than expected for the trio to reach the eastern edge of Hyrule Field. They arrived so quickly that the sun still had plenty of distance to travel across the western sky.

"Well... we made it," said Navi, gasping for breath.

"Yeah... we're home," said Link. Then, he threw his right leg over Epona's back and hopped down from her. In the two years they had been away from Hyrule, the young filly had grown to her full height of 15 1/2 hands. Even though Link too had grown some since then, it took him a little practice to get used to riding Epona as she grew. But, since they had been together for most of their journey, their growing together made things less difficult for them.

Link then turned to Epona and fed her one of her favorite carrots. "Okay, Epona. I want you to go back to Malon and Talon back at the Lon Lon Ranch, okay?" said Link.

Epona grunted in reply, but Link could only gaze into her sad eyes. She knew their journey was over just as much as Link did. And that meant they would only spend occasional time together since her home as at Lon Lon Ranch and his was in Kokiri Forest.

"Thank you, my friend. You've been a great companion throughout our adventure," Link reassured. "But we're home now, so I'll always come by to see you. Okay?"

And again, Epona grunted in reply with the sadness in her eyes disappearing.

"Good. I'll see you later, my friend," Link said as he backed up and gave Epona a friendly slap to the rear, sending the young palomino galloping off toward Lon Lon Ranch.

As Epona disappeared over the western horizon, Link turned back to Navi. "So, are you ready?" he asked.

"Are you kidding? I was the one waiting for you to send Epona off," Navi sarcastically replied.

"Well, at least your wit hasn't changed any," Link commented with a smile.

"So are we going to announce your return to Hyrule to all of Kokiri Forest or what?" Navi asked.

Link thought about that question for a moment, wondering just how he wanted to announce his return home. As he did, memories of the promise he made to Saria and the letters he had written to her flowed through his mind. So it took little time for Link to answer Navi's question. "Actually... I want to make my return home to be a big surprise to everyone."

"And what do you mean by that?" Navi wondered.

"Well, I don't want everyone to know I'm home, at least not yet," Link explained. "I want Saria to be the first to see me and know that I'm home. I promised her that I'd come home quickly after I found you. So I'll go see Saria first."

"So you're going to sneak in?!" Navi exclaimed.

"Precisely," Link replied, giving Navi a mischievous smirk.

And with that, Link and Navi entered the forest and quietly made their way toward Kokiri Forest. The forest was actually rather quiet for still being daytime. Few birds chirped and a single owl gave an occasional hoot as he awoke from his slumber. Much of the sun's light was obscured by the rather dense woods that separated Kokiri Forest from Hyrule Field, giving Link and Navi the illusion of it being dusk.

Soon, Link and Navi arrived at a long rope bridge overlooking the Lost Woods, so they knew they were close to Kokiri Forest now. Navi then flew in close to Link's ear and whispered. "So how are we going to sneak in, huh? I'm very sure the other Kokiri are still running around the village."

"Who said anything about sneaking into the village?" Link mischievously replied as he whipped out his Longshot. He then aimed it at a nearby branch and sent the hook and chain flying into it. The Longshot then retracted, pulling Link effortlessly up to that branch. Once there, Link manipulated the Longshot and let it slowly extend, gently lowering himself to the forest floor.

Navi rolled her eyes at Link's astonishing feat. "You never cease to amaze me, Link." She then flow down to the forest floor to meet Link. "So where are we sneaking into if it's not the village?"

"Where else? The Sacred Forest Meadow," Link replied. "You know as well as I do that it's Saria's favorite place. It's also become our secret meeting place in the Lost Woods whenever we just want to play together without the other Kokiri bothering us."

"I understand. Sometimes best friends just want to be alone together," said Navi. "But, are you sure you can find your way there from here?"

"Of course," Link replied. "I've explored these woods pretty often. So let's go."

"Okay," Navi shrugged. "I just hope we don't stumble into the village by accident."

And off they went through the lost woods. Link navigated his way through the dense woods like an expert hiker, with Navi trailing close behind. They took many twists and turns through various open areas and walked through numerous hollow trees, trying to not end up back in Kokiri Forest.

Soon, Link stopped as a faint melody from the woods caught his ear. He stopped abruptly and threw his bent arm and fist up. "Listen," he said, looking around the forest and listening to the melody whispering in the woods.

"It's just the spirits of the forest, singing their songs," said Navi.

"But I can't hear the spirits like you and Saria can," Link argued, and then shut up as he listened again for the faint melody. Soon, he caught it again. And as he listened to it, he quickly recognized the rather familiar sound. "That's a fairy ocarina. I know that sound anywhere."

"Now that you mention it," said Navi as she too listened closely for the faint melody. "I do hear the music of an ocarina."

"That means Saria is here," said Link as he took off running deeper into the Lost Woods. "Come on. Let's go."

Link and Navi ventured deeper into the maze of the Lost Woods, trying to follow the faint song. 'Let the music be your guide,' Link thought to himself. 'Kaepora Gaebora told me that when I first went to the Sacred Forest Meadow.' After a few dead ends, and nearly taking a path that led back to Kokiri Forest, Link found a familiar sight. As he rounded another corner, he found a stone archway submerged beneath a small but rather deep pond.

"That's the path to Zora's Domain. I know where we are now," said Link. And the duo continued their way down the path they knew would lead to the Sacred Forest Meadow. But as they ventured, the melody became clearer and easier to make out. So Link stopped and listened. "This melody, it's not one of Saria's usual songs," he commented as he paused to listen to more of the song. "In fact... it sounds like a rather sad song."

"It does sound sad," Navi agreed, then slowly flew ahead of Link. "Come on. Let's follow her song."

So they continued on their way to the Sacred Forest Meadow, following the rather sad song as its melody filled the Lost Woods. And in no time at all, they reached the maze that would lead to where Saria could be found. After braving a few angry mad scrubs, they finally arrived at the Sacred Forest Meadow in front of the Forest Temple. Link gazed all the way across the wide-open meadow and found Saria sitting on the big stump, playing her ocarina. She wore her usual attire, a green Kokiri tunic over a dark green long-sleeved turtleneck sweater, green shorts matching tunic, and matching green boots. And to top it off, she wore her favorite dark green hairband that held her shoulder-length green hair in place. Her eyes were closed as she played, so she didn't notice Link standing at the steps in the pathway to the big meadow.

"Saria... she looks so sad," Navi commented, barely above a whisper. She noticed not only Saria's sad song, but also the frown on her face as she played it.

"Yes, she does," Link agreed. He stood and watched her play the song as not only she but also her fairy remained oblivious to his and Navi's presence. After a while, an idea came to his head and brought a smile upon his face.

"Hey, I know what to do to cheer Saria up," Link said as he reached into his bag and grabbed his fairy ocarina.

"Yeah, go up to her and let her know that you're home," suggested Navi.

"Oh I'll let her know I'm home alright," said Link with a smirk on his face as he took the ocarina and placed it to his lips. He then took a deep breath, and began to play the notes to "Saria's Song".

.

..

.

Saria sat on her stump, with her fairy perched on her shoulder, as she continued to play her slow and sad song. But suddenly, the song of another ocarina began to echo throughout the Sacred Forest Meadow. She immediately stopped playing and listened to the rather upbeat tune. And after a couple measures, she quickly recognized it as none other than her own song. And it was that tune that brought a smile upon her face. 'Oh I love how my song sounds as it echoes through the forest,' she thought to herself. 'For some reason, I always feel happy when I hear that song being played.'

"Saria, Look!" said Spryte, Saria's guardian fairy.

Saria opened her eyes and finally glanced up from her ocarina. When she did, Saria gasped and her eyes popped wide open as she discovered a familiar figure dressed in a green tunic and green pointed hat. "Link!" she shrieked. She dropped her ocarina in the grass, leaped up from the stump, and took off running toward Link at full speed.

Link stopped playing and glanced up to find Saria speeding toward him. And quickly, Saria ran into him and threw her arms tightly around his chest. "Oh my goddesses, Link, you're back," Saria said excitedly as Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I can't believe you're really back."

Link only stood there and held his best friend in a tight embrace, letting their intimate gesture speak for him.

"I missed you so much," said Saria, taking in the touch of their embrace, something Saria hadn't felt in over two years, and something she had longed to feel again.

"I've missed you too, Saria... my very best friend," said Link.

As they embraced, Navi joined them and hovered around their heads. "Oh boy, getting a little cozy, aren't we?" she teased, giggling at the best friends.

Saria suddenly looked up, startled by voice other than Spryte's teasing them. With her arms still wrapped around Link's chest, Saria glanced around and found the glowing blue aura of Navi flying around them. "Navi?! You're here too?!" she gleefully exclaimed.

"Hello Saria, it's been a long time," Navi greeted.

Saria then loosened her hold on Link and looked back into his eyes. "You really found Navi?!"

Link nodded in response.

"So that means your journey is over and you've finally come home? Oh I'm so happy," Saria said, tightening her embrace once again. "I'm so happy that you found her and came back home."

Link gently stroked the back of her head, running his fingers through her shoulder-length green hair, as he held her in his arms. "Yes... I'm home now," Link said in a low voice. "I'm finally home."

"Well now, I'll go on ahead and see the Great Deku Sprout," said Navi. "I'll leave you two alone to catch up and get all lovey-dovey."

Link glared at Navi and let go of Saria. He then took out an empty bottle and swung the open end of it at Navi in one swift move, trapping her inside.

"Hey, let me out!" Navi screamed as she pounded at the inside of the bottle with her fists.

"Hey now, Saria and I are best friends who haven't seen each other in over two years," Link scolded. "We're not getting all lovey-dovey."

"Oh come on, I was only teasing you," said Navi, and then began to pound on the bottle again. "Let me out! Let me out!"

"Come on Link, let her out," suggested Saria, resting her hands and forearms on Link's back.

"Oh, alright," Link reluctantly submitted. "I was just having fun with her. I knew she was teasing." He then popped the cork to let Navi out. Navi smiled at Link and Saria as she casually hovered free of the bottle.

"I'll see you later, okay Link?" said Navi, giving Link a knowing wink before she turned around and flew off.

"You're still just as mischievous as ever," Saria commented, slowly rubbing Link's back.

"Two years, and Navi still knows how to push my buttons," Link commented as he sat down, with Saria's arms slide up to his shoulders in the process, and smiled. "I guess that's all part of having a guardian fairy."

"Well of course," Saria cheerfully responded. "She only teases you because she cares. Even Spryte likes to tease me sometimes."

"You bet I do," Spryte proudly agreed, giggling.

At that, Saria turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Spryte. Then, she turned back to Link. "Hey Link, let's go over to our stump," she suggested.

"Okay," Link replied as they both stood up. And when they did, Saria noticed something a little different about Link, something she missed during her ecstatic dash to embrace him, as she found herself looking slightly up at him. "Wow, Link, you've grown," she commented.

"Really? I have?" said Link.

"Yeah, you've definitely grown. You used to be shorter. In fact, I was maybe just a tiny bit taller than you. Now, you're almost a fairy's arm taller than me," Saria explained.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It has been two years. It must be the Hylian in me," said Link.

Saria then wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him another big hug. "Well, taller or not, you'll always be a Kokiri to me," she said.

Then, after their brief hug, Link and Saria walked back to the stump. There, they sat in the grass and leaned their backs against the stump. Saria then picked up her fairy ocarina that she had earlier dropped and put it away.

"It's so great to have you back, Link," said Saria.

Link took in a deep breath, taking in the aroma of the forest, and let out a big sigh. "It's sure feels great to be back home in the forest," said Link. "After such a long adventure through many strange lands, there's no place in the world like home."

"Yeah, I was starting to get worried about you too," Saria added. "I haven't gotten a letter from you in quite a long while. I don't even know how long it's been. The last letter I got from you, you were in a place called Holodrum."

"I'm sorry, Saria. But where I went to next, I couldn't get any letters out of there," Link explained. "That place was fairly secluded from much of the world. Also, the postmen there haven't even heard of Hyrule, much less knew how to get there."

"I can understand that," said Saria. Then, she scooted herself closer to Link and looked right at him. "So Link, tell me all about you great adventure," said Saria.

"Well... where to start," Link said, thinking hard on how to go about telling his story.

"Well, in your first letter, you mentioned a place called Termina," Saria suggested. "Was that your first quest?"

"Yes," Link replied as he began his story. "My journey in Termina began almost right after I picked up Epona. I started my journey in the Lost Woods. It was there that I ran into an unusually mischievous Skull Kid. He took both Epona and the Ocarina of Time from me. So I chased him through this strange portal and ended up in Termina. And that's when I teamed up with the fairy named Tatl."

"Ocarina of Time? What's that?" Saria asked.

Link reached into his bag and took out the Ocarina of Time to show to Saria. Saria took it into her hands and admired its beauty, noting its light blue glaze, silver ring around the mouthpiece, and Triforce emblem adorning the silver ring. "It's beautiful," Saria commented as she handed it back to Link.

"Zelda gave this to me," Link explained. "She had a feeling I was going to need the magical power of this ocarina on my quest. It turned out that she was right. When I was in Termina, the Skull Kid cursed the moon with the power of a mask called 'Majora's Mask', sending it on a crash course for Clock Town three days later. The Ocarina of Time had the power to send me back in time three days. So even though my quest there only took three days in Termina time, it felt like a lot of months to me. I lost count how many times I played the Song of Time."

"You actually traveled through time with that ocarina?" Saria commented, astonished at such a feat. "That sounds pretty amazing."

"Yeah. In a lot of ways, it was amazing," Link explained. "It allowed me to take all the time I needed to save Termina without the moon crashing into it, so long as I played the Song of Time every three days. But, it was also a real pain in the neck. I met a lot of interesting people, but I was only able to get to know them for three days... then they'd forget everything when I went back in time and I'd have to meet them all over again. In fact, the only one who's known me for more than three days was Tatl. That's probably why I had trouble getting letters out to you after I left Kokiri Forest. Those letters must've disappeared before the postmen could leave Termina when I played the song of Time."

"I can see how that's no fun. I can also see why I didn't receive a letter for three months," Saria commented. Then, she frowned at a crucial part of his story and let out a discontented sigh. "So I guess you never really played your fairy ocarina, did you? Not when you had a beautiful work of art like the Ocarina of Time."

"Actually, as great and useful as the Ocarina of Time was, I still liked to play your fairy ocarina at night whenever I just wanted to play some tunes," Link explained. "I played a lot of songs often times when I thought about you. So yes, I played your ocarina quite a bit."

"Oh Link," Saria gasped as she threw her arms around Link," I'm so glad you still like my present to you."

"Well of course," said Link, smiling at Saria. "It was a gift from my best friend."

"So tell me more. Did you defeat the Skull Kid and his evil mask?" Saria asked.

"Yes I did," Link replied, then continued his story. "I had to collect these 4 masks and play the Ocarina of Time to awaken these giants to draw out Majora's evil spirit for me to defeat it. But, getting those masks wasn't easy. I had to meet the right people, do the right tasks, and be at the right places, all at the right time on the right day."

"Wow," Saria softly said, astonished at what she heard. "I bet that was hard."

"Yeah, that's putting it mildly," said Link. "After going back three days so many times, I could almost predict what was going to happen and when. I even kept it all in a journal to help me keep track of it all."

Saria could only giggle at Link's explanation. "Link, did you really keep a diary?" she teased.

Link glared at his giggling friend. "Hey, it's **journal**, get it right."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist," Saria said, eventually settling down from her giggling. "At least you were able to save Termina. So where did you go after you left Termina?"

"Well, I didn't leave immediately," Link explained. "After we rescued the Skull Kid from the evil mask, Tatl reunited with her brother Tael. Afterward, we all went to the Festival of Time, and danced and celebrated the night away. Afterward, the Skull Kid helped me and opened the portal back to Hyrule. And from there, I continued my search for Navi."

"Oh I love festivals, especially the one we hold every year," Saria commented. "We even had a festival after you defeated Ganondorf and saved Hyrule."

"Yes, the one at Clock Town was certainly a brilliant festival," said Link, smiling.

"Well, ours will be in less than a couple months," said Saria. "And at least you'll be home for this year's festival. It's just not the same without you around."

"Yes, I miss our festivals," said Link, reflecting back on the times they and the other Kokiri would spend in their annual festivities. Then, Link went back to his story. "Anyway, after leaving Termina, I continued eastward through the Lost Woods, eventually reaching a pretty large open field with rolling hills. It was a pretty long horse ride, but I got to see some beautiful scenery, especially the ocean."

"The ocean? Is that like a really big pond that the Great Deku Tree used to tell us stories about?" Saria wondered.

"Yes," Link replied. "It makes really big waves in the wind, and there are all kinds of fish and other water animals in it. But, it tastes really salty, so you can't drink it. You can travel on it if you're on a ship, or at least a small boat."

"Wow, you saw so many amazing things," Saria commented. "Did you and Epona travel on the ocean in one of those boats?"

"We sure did. That's how we went to the far away land called Holodrum," Link explained. "When Epona and I arrived, we went to the nearby town called Horon Village and saw a real-live traveling dance troupe. They had a lot of flutes, drums, strings... and played some very upbeat music. It was like a little traveling festival."

"Hey, maybe you and I can start a little dance troupe of our own," suggested Saria. "We already dance and play our ocarinas."

Link smiled at the thought. "Maybe, one day. Hey, we can do it at this year's festival."

"Now that's a plan," said Saria. "So tell me about your adventure in Holodrum."

"Okay, so I saw this dance troupe, and their lead dancer was this beautiful girl with long fire-red hair," Link explained.

"Beautiful, huh?" Saria jealously commented, giving Link a knowing look. "You didn't ogle her, did you?"

"No, but I did dance with her when she asked me to," Link replied.

"Humph, you always meet a lot of girls in your travels," Saria complained with her armed crossed, turning her face away from Link," Malon, Zelda, Ruto, Nabooru, and now this dancer."

"Well, I do meet a lot of interesting people and make friends too," said Link. "But none of them compare to the friendship that you and I share."

Saria looked back at Link and smiled. "It's okay, I forgive you. After all, we are the best of friends, right?"

"Right," Link replied, and then continued his story. "But our dance was very short-lived. This evil man named General Onox crashed the party. He attacked the town and kidnapped the lead dancer before he left. And when I finally came to, the troupe's cook got me out of there."

"That's sad," Saria said with a frown. "Why would he kidnap the lead dancer of a troupe? It's not like she was a princess."

"No," Link replied. "But strangely, when he kidnapped her, all the seasons suddenly went totally berserk. Summer became winter, spring became fall, and so on. And then, the Maku Tree summoned me and told me why."

"Is he like the Great Deku Sprout?" Saria asked.

"Sort of. He's the guardian tree of Holodrum," Link explained. "But he said that the dancer was really the Oracle of Seasons posing as a dancer to hide from evil. She had the power to keep the seasons in balance. And when General Onox kidnapped her, he used her power to sink the Temple of Seasons and throw the seasons into chaos."

"And so began another quest, huh?" said Saria as she scooted close to Link and leaned against him. "Well, I did get a letter from when you were in Holodrum. But I want to know, how did the hero save Holodrum and rescue the oracle?"

"Well, I had to find the Rod of Seasons at the Temple of Seasons and have the spirits of the 4 seasons bless it with their power," Link explained. "Once I did that, I had to collect some essences for the Maku Tree so he could give me the power to enter General Onox's castle to rescue the oracle. Both tasks weren't easy as Epona and I had to travel all over Holodrum and even to the underground world of Subrosia to do so."

"A whole underground world?" said Saria, astonished.

"Yes. That's where the Temple of Seasons sank to. And it's also where General Onox's castle was," Link explained. "Once I collected all of the essences, I went to General Onox's castle and ended up in a big fight with him. He then turned into this huge dragon and destroyed his own castle. But I defeated him, rescued the oracle, and gave her the Rod of Seasons. And with it, she restored balance to the seasons and brought the temple back to Holodrum where it belonged."

"That sounded like a pretty wild adventure," said Saria. "Big place, seasons in chaos, evil man attacking the people, an underground world... you saw so many amazing things and went through so many trials. I just wish I could've been there to help you."

"Yeah, it was," Link agreed. "But my next adventure was just as wild. Needless to say, I didn't find Navi in Holodrum. So the Maku Tree suggested that I go to a place called Labrynna to continue my search for her. However, there were no ships that went to Labrynna. So I had to hire a man with a boat to take me there, but that meant I had to leave Epona behind... as much as I hated to leave my friend."

"I bet that was hard for you," Saria sadly commented as she laid her hand on Link's shoulder and gave it a loving squeeze.

"Yeah, you can say that again," said Link. "I left Epona at a horse stable near Horon Village to care for her, and it was off to Labrynna I went. Luckily, Labrynna wasn't as far away from Holodrum as Holodrum was from Hyrule. So we arrived at Labrynna after a couple days of sailing. And there, I heard the most beautiful song that anybody's ever heard. So I followed the song into some woods, and there I found a rather beautiful girl with long blue hair, singing her song while playing her lyre. Many animals, and even some fairies, had gathered around her to listen to her song. When I saw this, I was immediately reminded of you and how you play your songs for the spirits of the forest."

"Oh Link," Saria gasped, giving Link a big hug for flattering her.

"Well... after she finished her song, I asked her about Navi. But no one there had seen her or even heard of her, so I thanked her for her beautiful song and continued my search. Later, I met this old lady who wanted to meet the girl who sang such a beautiful song. So I took her there, and then something bad happened: This evil sorceress named Veran left the old woman's body and possessed the singer... then quickly disappeared."

"And once again, you're dragged into another dangerous quest," Saria added. "So what happened?"

"Well, the old lady was some village wise-woman," Link replied. "She said that the singer was really the Oracle of Ages, hiding her true powers by singing such beautiful songs. She had the power to keep the flow of time in balance. It was because she knew this that Veran used her to get to the oracle. So with the oracle possessed, the old woman picked up the oracle's lyre and took me to see the Maku Tree."

"Another Maku Tree?" said Saria.

"Yes, a girl," Link explained. "The one in Holodrum was a man. But when we got there, the Maku Tree was gone... just simply gone. The old woman said that Veran must've used her powers to go back in time and kill the Maku Tree. That was when the oracle's lyre whispered to us where to go to right these wrongs. So under the old woman's and the lyre's guidance, I took the Ocarina of Time and went 400 years in the past."

"What?! 400 years?!" Saria exclaimed.

"Yes, it turned out that Veran caused a lot of trouble in the past," Link explained. "She influenced queens, changed places, erased people from history, and made Labrynna a place of despair. So I saved the Maku Tree in the past, traveled back to the present, and sought her guidance. Apparently, Veran had influenced a once great queen and had a huge tower built in Veran's name. She told me that in order to face Veran in the past, I needed to travel between the past and the present to obtain these essences to have access to her tower. You really have no idea how much I had to change, correct, and rewrite history just to get each of those essences."

"I can understand," said Saria. "Being the Hero of Time can be a pain, can it?"

"Yes it can," Link replied. "Once I corrected history enough and collected the essences, I was able to enter Veran's tower in the past. I had to draw the sorceress out since I didn't want to harm the oracle. My fight with her was as tough as my fight with General Onox was, but I defeated her."

"And you saved the oracle, right?" Saria asked, anticipating the quest's ending.

"Yes, and she saw my fairy ocarina and decided to teach me the song I watched her sing," said Link.

"Wow. So many adventures," Saria commented. "But... how did you finally find Navi?"

"Well, that was my next and final quest," Link replied. "It was also my shortest. It was a rescue I stumbled upon. Navi wasn't at Labrynna, so I built a huge sailing raft and left for some of the outer islands. But on my way there a powerful storm came. My raft was struck by lightning, knocking me out cold, and I woke up on an island."

"Oh no," Saria gasped. "At least you were all right. So what'd you do on that island?"

"What else? Although I was stranded on that island, I thought I'd look for Navi while I was there," Link replied. "There was only one village there, and no one there had ever seen a fairy before, much less knew anything about Navi. I know I was on that island for at least a few weeks searching for Navi, but I couldn't find her there. So I had the people there help me to build another raft, and then I left. And a day later, I came up to another island, much smaller than the first one. During my travels, I often heard stories of pirates who sailed the ocean, and this island looked like one where these pirates might've lived. But when I arrived, I found the village there to be totally empty. The only thing I heard was some screaming and moaning coming from the nearby tower. So I made a trip to the tower, and when I went in, I ended up fighting hoards of Stalfos and other monsters. And guess who I found there?"

"Navi? You found Navi at an old pirate's place?" Saria guessed.

"She was there, alright," Link continued. "And that was also where I fought my toughest fight yet."

"Who did you fight this time?" Saria curiously asked.

"Myself," Link replied.

"Really? You fought yourself?" said Saria.

"Yes. He was every bit like me, like he was sort of a mirror image of me, only his skin and clothes were much darker and his eyes were red," Link explained. "Even his voice was much deeper than mine. I can't even begin to describe how he sounded."

"So you fought an evil Link," Saria concluded.

"That's right. And what was worse was that he made Navi fight alongside him. It was like she was under a spell or something," Link explained. "As long as Navi was there, I couldn't fight him very well without her either interfering or giving him hints. So I had no choice but to knock Navi out and trap her in a bottle so I could fight Dark Link. It was really tough fighting him. He matched every sword move, every shield block, and everything else I threw at him. I had to be both faster and smarter to beat him. He thought he had me, but then I hit him in the face with a Deku Nut and blinded him. It was then that I defeated him and saved Navi."

Upon finishing his story, Saria wrapped her arms around his chest and held him. "Link, you really are a hero. And I'm, so happy to be your best friend."

"Yes, it was certainly a wild adventure," said Link. "I'm just glad to finally be home after going through so much. I just can't believe it took me over two years to find Navi."

As Saria listened, one question remained on her mind, the same one that Link had before he left on his 2-year journey. "Hey Link, as amazing as your journey was, why did Navi leave you without saying goodbye in the first place?"

"Well, quite simply, Navi wanted to go on her own adventure after we defeated Ganondorf," Link explained. "She chose to leave because she wanted to grow stronger and she wanted me to learn and grow without her."

"So she believed that you weren't ready to have a guardian fairy, huh?" said Saria.

"It's not that," Link explained. "I was ready, but I also needed to know how to think for myself too, without Navi's guidance. Only then would I know what having a guardian fairy is all about. Navi is my guide, but she's also my partner, and my friend."

"I understand now," said Saria.

"Right, it's not like we're your babysitters or anything like that," Spryte added. "We just watch over you, keep you company, be your friend, and become a part of you. You're still your own Kokiri who thinks for yourself."

"It took me two years to understand it all," said Link as he continued his story. "But Navi heard of my adventures in Holodrum and set out to find me. She said she had sensed my presence, but when she followed her senses, she found Dark Link and was kidnapped. She said it had to have been about a month before I saved her. That was when our big adventure was over. We sailed back to Holodrum, picked up Epona, and took the ship back to the seaside town. Then, we rode back to Hyrule."

"You told such a wonderful story of your adventure," said Saria, hugging him tightly. "I think you've grown a lot from your journey too."

"I agree," said Spryte. "You got to see a very big world that the rest of the Kokiri could only dream of and faced a lot of trials. The Great Deku Sprout would be proud of you."

"Thank you, Saria... and Spryte," said Link as he wrapped his arms around Saria, returning her hug. "I just wish you could've been there to see so many great things with me."

They sat beside the stump, silently enjoying each other's company. After such a long adventure, writing a few letters, and many restless nights, Link felt really great to finally be home and with his best friend. And Saria was still way overcome with joy, knowing that Link was okay, that he thought of her, and that he was finally home. Then, Saria noticed the reddish-orange sky as the sun had begun to set.

"Hey Link, it's starting to get late," Saria said as she let go of Link and stood up. Then, she took her fairy ocarina out. "Before we go back... that song, the one the Oracle of Ages taught you... can you teach it to me?"

"Yes, of course," Link replied as he too stood up and took his own fairy ocarina. "I can teach you some other songs too."

Saria giggled at Link as she sat on the stump. "What a role reversal this is. I taught you how to play the ocarina and even taught you a few songs. Now, you're the one teaching me a bunch of songs."

"Well, if it wasn't for you, I would never have played the ocarina," said Link. "And I wouldn't have made it on my adventures either. Besides, I still think you're a better ocarina player than me."

"Oh, you flatter me," said Saria, and then begged. "Come on, teach me the song."

Link joined her on the stump and began to play the same beautiful song that he watched the Oracle of Ages play upon his arrival at Labrynna. And after he finished the song, Saria joined him on her fairy ocarina. For the next hour, Link taught her the songs that he had learned on his adventures in Termina, Holodrum, and Labrynna. And all through dusk, the two played their new songs together.

_end of chapter 1_

_

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_

I know most of Chapter 1 is a summary of Link's 2 years of adventures, but I'm sure we were curious as to what Link did and how he finally found Navi. The rest of the story begins here, so I have more to write. Thank you for reading, and any reviews are welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	3. Chapter 2: Link's Homecoming

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 2

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. This is a longer chapter with all the content, but the next ones shouldn't be quite as long. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 2: Link's Homecoming

"Hey Link, it's really starting to get dark," said Saria, "We need to be getting back before the others start to worry about me."

The sun had long since set, with the sky transitioning from the reddish-violet of dusk to the bluish-violet of twilight. Link and Saria had spent all of dusk playing new songs on their ocarinas. They had gotten so engrossed in their songs and each other's company that they weren't paying attention to the time of day. And now that it was twilight, Saria finally noticed just how late they stayed out.

"Yeah, I just hope they haven't come looking for you," Link commented as he and Saria stood up, "Let's go ahead and go back."

Saria smiled, "It was great playing songs with you again."

"Yes it was," Link agreed as they began to make their way out of the Sacred Forest Meadow, "It was great playing my favorite ocarina with my best friend again. And I really liked sharing these songs with you."

So Link and Saria easily passed through the hedge maze and left the Sacred Forest Meadow. But with twilight having fallen upon the Lost Woods, navigating through the thick woods proved difficult. Link reached into his bag and took out his lantern. And with Din's Fire, he promptly lit it, giving light to the woods all around them. "Saria, stay close to me," Link ordered, "I know these woods are usually quiet at night, but you never know what might be lurking."

"Hey, I've gone to the Forest Temple at night before," Saria shrewdly responded, "The Great Deku Sprout and the Forest Temple both help to protect us and these woods."

"So there's really nothing to be afraid of, huh," Link concluded.

"Well, nothing but an occasional big animal," said Saria, smirking at Link.

"Right, that's reassuring," Link sarcastically commented.

With the aid of the light from Link's lantern, they hiked their way through the dark and gloomy Lost Woods. Other than the usual nighttime sounds of crickets chirping, frogs croaking, and occasional owls hooting, the forest remained rather quiet. And in no time at all, they arrived at the passage to Kokiri Forest.

"I think I'd better go first, just to let everyone know I'm okay," said Saria, stepping out in front of Link. He nodded in reply and blew out the flame in his lantern, and then placed it back in his bag.

Saria casually walked through the passageway and into Kokiri Forest. And as she emerged, Mido and another Kokiri boy came running toward her, with the twins following close behind.

"There you are, Saria. What took you so long?" Mido wondered, with beads of sweat dotting his face, "We were about to send a search party in the Lost Woods to look for you."

"Oh Mido, you know you wouldn't make it very far into the woods," Saria teased, "But... I'm sorry I worried all of you."

"Really! Why would you be out so late anyway?" Mido questioned.

"Well... I sort of ran into someone in the Lost Woods, and I just lost track of time, that's all," Saria explained, smiling at the other Kokiri.

Link took that statement as his cue and walked through the passageway, then emerged from the Lost Woods. Mido's eyes popped out and his mouth hung wide-open when he saw just who had emerged from the Lost Woods. The twins, however, were overcome with joy.

"Link! You're back!" the twins shrieked as they ran up the hill and toward Link. Link held his arms out wide and let the twins collide with him and hug him. After staggering a bit from the double collision, Link hugged them back, "Hi, girls."

"We missed you, Link," said one twin.

"But not as much as Saria did," said the other twin.

"Yeah, no one missed you as much as Saria did," said one twin.

"We were wondering when you were going to come back and visit us," said the other twin.

Saria blushed as the twins blurted out how much she had missed Link for all to hear. They had no idea just how much she had really missed Link. As much as she would loved to have replied to his letters, she was unsure of where Link's journey had taken him. She wanted him to come home and visit many times, but knew that his faraway quests had prevented that. The last two years were hard on Saria, but she always did her best to remain her cheerful self. 'You girls really have no idea what it's like to have someone like Link as your best friend, and then not have him for over two years,' she thought to herself.

Another Kokiri boy watched on from a distance as the twins smothered Link. Upon finally realizing that Link had really come home, he ran off toward the bridges that led to the highest hilltop that overlooked all of Kokiri Forest. Once there, he took in a deep breath and hollered to where the whole village could hear, "Hey everyone, he's back! Link is back! Link's come home!"

Mido finally had enough of it. Everyone was so excited about Link being home after he was gone for so long. The fact that the twins were so apparently enamored over someone like Link disgusted him. So Mido stepped forward and broke up their little celebration, "Oh come on now. Okay, so he's back... big whoop-de-do. What's so great about it?"

"Mido!" Saria scorned, "He's been gone for over two years. So of course it's a big deal."

"Yeah, he left us because his fairy left him," Mido responded, "He couldn't bear losing his fairy. He couldn't bear becoming a half-breed and a freak again. And now, Mr. No-Fairy's come crawling back... and **still** with no fairy."

"Mido, stop being so mean to Link," said one twin.

"Can't you see that he's come home to see us?" said the other twin.

"Yeah... but... he still ran away to look for his fairy. And look, he's come back home empty-handed. Let's see here. Nope... no fairy," Mido proudly rebutted. He then turned back to Link," So tell me, Mr. No-Fairy. What are you doing crawling back here? And where's your fairy?"

"Right here, you moron," Navi's voice scornfully responded right behind Mido, startling him.

Mido jumped and turned around to find the floating blue ball of light hovering right in his face. She was glaring at him with her hands at her hips. "Huh? Wha... what the... you mean... I mean... **What**?!" Mido stuttered with his eyes bulging as he was completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

"That's right. After two years of traveling faraway lands and saving some of those lands from certain turmoil, Link **did** find me," Navi proudly defended. She then flew back over to Link.

"Humph," Mido haughtily scoffed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot.

Suddenly, a mob of Kokiri boys and girls came running and climbing up the hill, some cheering as they spied Link near the passage to the Lost Woods.

"Link's back!" one Kokiri boy cheered.

"And he's brought Navi the fairy back too," a Kokiri girl added.

"He's a hero!" another Kokiri girl cheered.

"Oh my goddesses, he's back! He's finally back," Fado cheered as she dashed through the crowd, her blond pigtails flying in the wind. She threw herself at Link and gave him a really big hug, "Oh Link, you're really back after such a long journey. Now you're **really** a man."

After a brief hug, Link let Fado go and stepped up to the small crowd of Kokiri. "I really don't know what to say... but... I'm home," he said to all of them.

"Tell us about your great adventure," a younger Kokiri boy yelled to Link, "Tell us about the whole big world you saw outside the forest."

"Did you really go even farther than you did on your last adventure?" a Kokiri girl up front asked.

Link sat down, with Saria sitting by his side and the twins and Fado sitting in front of him, and answered their questions. "Yes, I traveled quite a long way. This forest alone really is more vast than any of us know, just like the Great Deku Tree used to tell us stories about. Beyond the forest lie many other great lands not unlike Hyrule. I heard many of their songs, ate their great foods, and met some amazing people. I even saw the great ocean that we've heard so much about in the stories. It was so vast that you needed a big boat to travel on it."

"Oh they're all nothing but a bunch of stories," Mido disputed, "Anyone from Kokiri Forest could spout out the stories that the Great Deku Tree would tell us all the time."

"He really saw them," Saria said in Link's defense.

"I did see a lot of the things that the Great Deku Tree used to tell us about," said Link, "I'm sure the Great Deku Sprout still tells you stories about the great big world that the Golden Goddesses created. But I really did see a lot of it with my own two eyes. And Navi saw them too."

"That's amazing," said another Kokiri boy in the crowd.

"Did you really learn all those songs you heard?" the Kokiri girl in front asked, "I know you play the ocarina like Saria does. So you have to have learned some songs."

"Of course I did," Link replied, "That's why Saria gave me her old ocarina and taught me how to play it in the first place."

"Please play us some songs," Fado asked.

"Yeah, play us some songs," a few other Kokiri urged on.

"Oh brother," Mido mumbled to himself, "Link comes home, with his fairy, and everyone gathers around him because **he** can see the world when we can't."

"I'd love to, but it's already nighttime," said Link, politely refusing.

The Kokiri moaned in whined in disapproval. "Aww... come on, please?" the twins begged.

Link couldn't bear to hear all the Kokiri complain. They were children, after all, as was he. So he decided to give in. "Okay," said Link as he stood up, "Just one song, okay? I'm really tired after such a long journey. But, I'm home now, so Saria and I can both play all the new songs that I learned for you all any time."

"Yay!" all the Kokiri, except Mido and his posse, cheered.

"Saria, would you care to join me for this song?" Link politely offered.

"Of course," Saria gladly replied, standing up and pulling out her fairy ocarina, "What song are we going to play?"

"Ohhh... how 'bout that really upbeat song I learned in Clock Town?" Link suggested as he too pulled his fairy ocarina out.

"Oh, I liked that song when you played it for me," said Saria.

"Okay, I'll play the song for a bit for everyone, and then you join in, okay?" Link instructed.

"Okay," Saria replied with a smile.

Link then placed his fairy ocarina to his lips and began to play the song from Clock Town. All the other Kokiri, even Mido, listened to the happy and upbeat tune. After a while, Saria joined in on her own fairy ocarina and made a lovely duet out of the song.

The twins began clapping to the rhythm of the song, while Fado and some of the other Kokiri stood up and started dancing to the song. And for a good long moment, Link and Saria plated their new song as all the Kokiri joined in for a vibrant twilight dance.

.

_The next day..._

"Link, it's time to wake up," Navi's voice announced, piercing into a wonderful dream that Link was having. Yet, despite Navi's reveille, Link didn't so much as twitch. Navi then flew down in front of his face.

"Hey Link, wake up, will 'ya!" Navi barked as she hovered around his face. Link finally responded by swatting at the fairy in front of his face like she was a mosquito.

Navi quickly backed off and glared at the still sleeping boy in the bed. "Link, get up!" she yelled.

"No, I wanna sleep some more," Link moaned, "Just one more hour."

Navi had enough of it. She flew to his bed and quickly jerked the pillow out from underneath his head. She then tossed it aside and grabbed a hold of his sheets. Navi took a beep breath and pulled with all the strength her arms and wings had, yanking the sheets off of Link's bed.

Link, still in his green and white pajamas, finally began to stir, "Okay, okay, I'm up."

"Jeez, Link. So many wild adventures since we first met and you're still just as lazy as ever," Navi nagged.

"What, I can't help it," Link mumbled as he slowly sat up in his bed.

"Yeah, you were the one who stayed up and played more than **just one** song last night," Navi nagged.

"So why are you waking me up now," Link asked.

"The sun's been up for over two hours now, and all the other Kokiri are already up and running around," Navi replied, "Besides, the Great Deku Sprout just summoned us. So we need to go and see him posthaste."

"Alright, let me get dressed and we'll go," said Link as he finally stood up from his bed.

"Okay, I'll meet you there," said Navi as she floated toward Link's door, "Don't forget your sword and shield. And don't make me come back to get you."

And with that last warning, Navi slipped around Link's door curtain and out of sight.

'I wonder what the Great Deku Sprout wants,' Link thought to himself. He walked over to his wardrobe and quickly pulled out his green tunic and hat, and his white undershirt and tights. He then quickly changed out of his pajamas and into his regular everyday Kokiri outfit. Once he had gotten dressed, he grabbed his sword and shield and walked out his door.

"Good Morning, Link," Fado called out to him just as he had emerged from his tree house, "The Great Deku Sprout wants to see you."

"I know," Link replied as he slid down his ladder, "Navi made sure that I knew and that I hurried myself up. She wouldn't even let me sleep some more after the songs we played last night."

"Well, our guardian fairies do the same thing with us sometimes," said Fado, "They like to be annoying little alarm clocks that won't stop until you're awake."

"Hey, I resent that remark," Hina, Fado's guardian fairy, scolded, giving her a surly glare.

"Yeah, especially Navi," Link commented as he began his trip toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, "See 'ya later, Fado."

Moments later, after greeting a few more Kokiri, Link arrived at the passage to the Great Deku Sprout, where Mido stood guard with a Deku stick in hand and resting on his shoulder. "Got your sword and shield?" Mido inquired, blocking Link's path with the Deku stick.

"Right here," Link replied, turning around to show Mido the sword and shield on his back.

Mido then raised his Deku stick and rested it back on his shoulder to grant Link passage, "Alright, go on ahead. I'm only letting you go so easily 'cause the Great Deku Sprout will be mad at me if I don't let you go see him. You'd better hurry up and go, or he'll get mad at you too."

"Right, thanks Mido," said Link as he dashed into the passageway, at which Mido only grunted in reply. After braving a couple of angry Deku Babas, Link arrived at the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, where Navi was patiently waiting for him.

"Link, come hither," the Great Deku Sprout summoned.

Link obediently approached the forest guardian, and immediately noticed something different about him, "Great Deku Sprout, you've grown. You're like... almost my height now."

"But of course, young Link. I am a young Deku Tree after all, a child of my kind much like thou art," said the Great Deku Sprout, "And I see thou too hast grown, and not just physically either."

"I know. Both Navi and Saria have said the same thing," said Link.

"But thou really hast grown," the Great Deku Sprout reiterated, "I hast watched thee grow ever since thy dying mother brought thee here before me... nay, my predecessor. I am sure thou wilt grow into a fine young man."

"Thank you, Great Deku Sprout. It must be my Hylian blood," Link commented.

"That it is, my boy. That it is. But Hylian or not, thou art still and wilt forever be my beloved child," said the Great Deku Sprout, "And I see that thou hast found Navi and brought her home after such a long journey. Thou hast endured many trials and hardships on thy journey, trials that has made thee grow in more ways than one."

"You can say that again," Link commented as he sat down. However, the words of the Great Deku Sprout perplexed him, and thus raised a question, "You know about all my adventures?"

"Thou mean thy adventures in the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna? Of course I do," the Great Deku Sprout replied.

"And you know about Holodrum and Labrynna too? But nobody in Hyrule knows about them. **I** didn't even know about them until I went there," said Link.

"Oh, I know much about this great land that the goddesses created," the Great Deku Sprout replied, "Not only dost I possess the knowledge of my predecessors, I also possess a small essence of what the goddesses left behind. That is how I can tell all my children the stories of both the great world and how it came to be."

"I see," Link sheepishly replied.

"And thou hast had the privilege to see some of the lands that the goddesses have blessed us with," the Great Deku Sprout continued, "It was thy destiny to travel about the world, even if thy last journey was by thy own free will. Thou set out about the world to search for thy lost friend, whom had left thee in search of her own adventure. Thou hast shown great care and compassion toward thy friend and traveled by land and sea to ensure that her travels went well. And whilst on thy journey, thou hast even come to the aid of these lands in their most desperate hour. Thou hast shown great wisdom, courage, power, and determination in thy ordeals. Thou hast not only triumphed over evil, but also righted their wrongs and returned the lands to peace and prosperity. Thou art truly worthy of thy title as 'Hero of Time'."

"Thank you, Great Deku Sprout. But as great as it all was, these quests surely weren't easy," Link humbly said, "I had to go through so much just to get what I needed to defeat Majora, General Onox, and Veran. Even my fight against Dark Link was the toughest I've ever had. I won that fight by luck alone."

"But thou kept thy faith and never gave up, and thus were able to prevail. Thou hast grown so much since thou defeated the evil Queen Gohma that befell my predecessor," said the Great Deku Sprout, "Not only hast thy fighting skills grown, but thy courage and confidence hast grown also. I must say that I am very proud of thee."

"I really don't know what to say," Link replied, astonished and flattered by the Great Deku Sprout's kind words, and then thought to himself, 'I only left to search for Navi. I may have known that I would be dragged into these quests, but I only did what I had to do.'

"Just feel good about thyself for achieving such selfless deeds," suggested the Great Deku Sprout, "But, I did not summon thee only to say how proud I am of thee, and how happy it hast made me to see thee return home safely from thy journey. Navi hast told me why she left to pursue her own adventure. It seemed that she felt it necessary for thee if thy pairing were separate whilst thou grow. And as much wisdom as Navi possesses, even she felt the need for growth on her own. And I see thy separate journeys only strengthened thy bond."

"Believe me, Great Deku Sprout, when Navi first told me why she left without saying goodbye, I was sad," Link explained, "It made me feel like I wasn't good enough to have a guardian fairy."

"Until she told thee more of her story," the Great Deku Sprout added.

"Yes. It seemed that she felt the same way too," Link somberly replied.

"Whether together or apart, thy growth hast done thee both much credit," said the Great Deku Sprout, "Sometimes, even the closest of companions need to grow alone to truly appreciate their companionship. And thus brings me to the other reason for my summoning of thee."

Navi and Link sat silently and listened anxiously to what the Great Deku Sprout has to say.

"Navi the fairy, when I sent thee to accompany Link on his first quest, I had meant it to be until the end," the Great Deku Sprout explained, "But after he had completed his quest and restored order to Hyrule, thy partnership was meant to be neither temporary nor permanent. After all, despite the fact that thou art all my beloved children, thou also live by thy own free will. Thou knew this all in thy heart thus felt the need to leave on thy own adventure. And Link, thy compassion and concern for thy friend led thee to seek a great adventure and find the true meaning of thy companionship. Thou cared not of what trials thou might face on thy journey, and thy love for thy friends motivated thee. And when Navi heard of thy adventures in those distant lands, she felt that she and thou hast grown so much and felt that the time was right to return to thee. And now that thou hast found each other and returned home to Kokiri Forest together, I ask of thee both: Dost thou wish for thy pairing to be permanent? It is a choice that thou both must make together."

Link and Navi both sat silently and thought hard about what the Great Deku Sprout had asked them. They reflected on their recent and separate journeys. Link remembered how excited that not only he, but also Saria was when Navi first came to him. Navi remembered how fond she had grown of Link through their first adventure. And after they had grown so much while apart during their recent adventures, their desire to rejoin each other made their decision an easy one. So they both stood up to announce their decision.

"After seeing the world for myself, I feel that I can be a great companion to the Hero of Time. I wish to remain Link's guardian fairy," Navi declared.

"And I now know what it truly means to have a guardian fairy. I wish to have Navi as my companion," Link added.

"Then it is done," said the Great Deku Sprout, "May thy pairing be a blessed one like it is for all the children of Kokiri Forest and their guardian fairies."

With that, Link bowed politely to the Great Deku Sprout and then turned to leave, with Navi already leaving way ahead of him. But as Link had taken a few steps, the Great Deku Sprout called to him again, "Link, wait."

Link stopped and turned back to the Great Deku Sprout, "Yes?"

"Although thou hast grown, thou art still free to call the Kokiri Forest home if thou choose to," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Thank you, Great Deku Sprout," said Link, "Then I choose to stay, just like last time."

"I knew thou wouldst sat that," said the Great Deku Sprout, "Do remember, Link, thou art not only courageous, but also a wonderful friend to many. Thou art loved by all thy friends, whether they be distant or close. I know thy friends mean much to thee, so share with them thy courage... and thy love, for they are all worth protecting."

"I will, Great Deku Sprout," Link replied as he left the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. Link quickly slashed away at the angry Deku Babas, and then emerged from the passageway where Navi flew up to him and rejoined him.

"Link!" Saria's voice suddenly called out to him. Just as she had called his name, Link found Saria running toward him rather fast. Even Spryte was having a hard time keeping up with her. And in to time at all, Saria threw herself at Link and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Oh Link, I am so happy for you," Saria said excitedly.

"What for?" Link asked, returning Saria's hug, "You were already happy about me coming back home."

"And I still am," Saria replied, squeezing him affectionately for emphasis, "But Navi told me all about it. She says that you and she are now permanent partners. I'm so glad that you two chose to stay together."

"Well, he didn't come a long way looking for me for nothing, you know," said Navi.

"Yes. It feels great having a guardian fairy again," said Link, finally letting Saria go, "Just like you and all the other Kokiri."

"Hey Link!" the voice of a Kokiri boy called out to him.

Link and Saria turned to find the younger Kokiri boy running up to them with a short piece of Deku stick in hand. "Could you teach me your famous sword moves, please?" he begged, "We're having a fencing act for this year's festival, and I'll be sword-fighting with Mido, and Mido thinks I'm too small and too slow to beat him."

"That Mido," Link muttered under his breath, "Still thinks he's better than everyone else."

"Oh go on, Link. It'll mean a lot to Kalo," suggested Saria.

"Please?" Kalo begged.

"Okay," Link eagerly replied, "We'll show that Mido."

So Link and Kalo ran out to the middle of the field in front of the passageway out of Kokiri Forest. There, one of the Know-It-All Brothers waited patiently, holding a shortened Deku stick of his own. "Here, I'll trade you weapons for a bit while I practice with Kalo," Link offered, taking his sword and sheathe and handing it to the brother.

"Sire," he replied, handing Link the stick as he took Link's sword and held onto it for safe keeping, "After so many adventures, I think you'll turn out to be a better teacher than me."

With the shortened Deku stick in hand, Link walked ten paces down the field away from Kalo, and then turned to face him. "Alright Kalo, let's see what you got. Come at me," Link taunted.

Kalo grasped his stick with both hands and ran at Link as fast as he could. As he neared Link, he raised his stick and swung at Link as hard as he could. Link, however, casually stepped aside and slapped the boy in the back with his stick, sending the boy down and sliding on the ground.

Kalo recovered and dusted himself off, then turned to Link, "See what I mean?"

"Oh, you're not slow at all," said Link as he approached Kalo, "You're plenty fast enough, judging by how fast you ran and how quickly you swung that stick. And with your smaller size, paired with your speed, you should be a tougher opponent for Mido."

"But how do I beat someone bigger than me?" Kalo wondered, "Even you're bigger than Mido now."

"Oh Kalo, buddy, I've fought many monsters that were much bigger than me. How big your opponent is and how small you are don't matter that much," Link explained.

"Then why can't I beat Mido?" Kalo asked.

"Well, your problem is not your size and speed," Link explained, "You're coming at me very fast. But, you're using all your energy in that one swing. On top of that, you're focusing it in only one direction... at me. When you do that, you leave your sides and back open. And because of that, you don't have the energy to change direction or change your attack. That's how I hit you in the back so easily."

The Know-It-All Brother stared at Link with his mouth hanging open. 'Wow, he's so much different than when I first tutored him on his sword-fighting,' he thought to himself, 'It's amazing, the words coming out of his mouth.'

"Okay Kalo, I'm going to show you some of what I'm talking about," said Link, "Watch very carefully how I move my sword, err... stick and how I focus my energy in any direction."

Kalo sat down as watched as Link readied his stick. Then, Link began swinging his stick in various directions as if it was really his sword. He was slashing, thrusting, parrying, and linking like a master swordsman. Even the knights of Hyrule would blush at Link's display of swordplay.

After Link was finished, Kalo and the Know-It-All Brother both applauded his performance. "Link, you're really great," Kalo praised excitedly.

"Yeah, but you can do some of this great stuff too," said Link, "I'm going to teach you how to do that."

So Kalo stood up and took his stick in his hand. Link walked to a spot eight paces in front of him. "Okay Kalo, since you're right-handed and I'm left-handed, I think this way is perfect," said Link, "Now, we're going to act like we're in a mirror. I want you to do exactly everything that I do, okay?"

"Right," Kalo replied as both readied their sticks. Link swung his stick side-to-side a few times and thrust. Kalo then did the same thing, exactly as he saw Link do. Then, Link swung downward and side-to-side in one fluid motion and finished with a lunge. Kalo then mirrored Link's swordplay perfectly.

Meanwhile, as Link and Kalo were mimicking swordplay with each other, Saria and Fado watched on from the highest hilltop in all of Kokiri Forest.

"Wow, look at Link," Fado commented, "He's really taken to teaching Kalo. And he's doing really good too."

"Well, he did save all of Hyrule," said Saria, "On top of that, he went away on a long journey and saved other lands too. So of course he's doing good."

The girls sat silently as they watched the boys mirror each other's sword moves, each getting progressively more complex. Fado let out a contented sigh, "He really has grown, hasn't he?"

"Yes he has," Saria replied.

"I noticed last night when I hugged him," Fado explained, "We used to be the same height. Now, I barely come up to his nose."

"Yeah, I just barely come up to his eyebrows now," said Saria, "But he's also grown in more ways than one. Just look at how confident he is in himself as he's teaching Kalo."

Fado watched closely at the two boys, and particularly at Link, as they continued with their twin swordplay. "Yeah, you're right," she agreed, "He does seem a lot more sure of himself. He also seems wiser and more mature, kind of like you."

"Mmhmm," Saria nodded.

"If he continues to grow like this, I'm very sure he'll become the leader of Kokiri Forest, and a fine one at that," Fado commented, "I bet Mido would rue that day."

"Oh, I don't think Link wants to take the title of 'Boss of the Kokiri' away from Mido," said Saria, "Link likes to travel way too much. Besides, now that he's grown so much, I think he'll be the one to put Mido in his place."

"Like you?" Fado giggled.

"Yep. Looks like I won't have to stand up for him as much anymore," Saria commented, and then paused as her eyes drifted downward, "But... I still want to. I can't help it. He's my best friend, and I don't want to see anything bad happen to him, even if it's just Mido being mean to him. So I can't help it if I still end up standing up for him."

Fado sat silently and watched the two boys as they took a break from their swordplay. She then let out another somber sigh, "He really is different from us, isn't he?"

"Uh huh," Saria replied, "He sure is."

"Yeah... he can grow, he can leave the forest and come back... I thought Kokiri don't do that," said Fado.

"Well, look at me. I'm different than you too," said Saria, "My hair is different than yours. I can go deep into the Lost Woods where others wouldn't even dare to go, and I can hear the spirits of the forest. So I'm different too."

"Yeah, you're right," Fado submissively replied, and then turned to Saria, "You may be different, but everyone likes you. You're so sweet and kind to us, you stand up for us whenever Mido is being mean to us, you play such wonderful songs on your ocarina, and you're very pretty too."

"Thank you, Fado. You really flatter me," Saria replied as she blushed, "But... Link is different too, yet he wasn't always everyone's favorite, and you know it. While most of us treated him just like he was one of us, Mido and his gang always liked to tease him and pick on him. As for me, I stood up for him and even played with him a lot. He was different too, more so than me. That was part of why he and I became best friends."

Fado smiled and hugged Saria, "You really are the best kind of friend anyone could ask for, to care so much for someone as different as Link, and make him really feel at home with us. I can see why he decided to come back not once, but twice."

Saria let Fado go and gave her a rather mischievous glare, trying to giggle or even crack a grin, "And what do you mean by that, huh?"

"Oh, nothing," Fado smirked, "You're his best friend, after all. Besides, he loves this forest just as much as we do. As different as he is from us, he's also a lot like us. He's a Kokiri, after all, and this is where all Kokiri call home."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Saria as she turned back to the boys, who had resumed their swordplay. And almost as quickly as hey had turned back to Link and Kalo, an idea struck Saria like lightning.

"Hey, I know what we can do for Link," Saria blurted out as she stood back up.

"Really? Like what?" Fado wondered.

"Oh, something really nice for him," Saria replied, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure. Like what?" Fado replied as she too stood up.

"I want you to go gather the twins and some of the other boys and girls and have them meet at my house," Saria instructed.

"Okay," Fado replied, "Should we let Mido know too?"

"Mido? No, absolutely not. Not that prankster," Saria quickly replied, "He'll just find a way to mess it up for not only Link, but everyone else too. Let's just keep Mido in the dark for now, okay?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll go get the others. See 'ya, Saria," said Fado. She then spun on her heel and ran across the bridge to carry out her task. Saria, however, only casually walked across the bridge as it led straight to her house. 'Oh, Link is going to love this,' she thought to herself, 'He really deserves it after being gone for so long.'

.

_A half-hour later..._

Fado had done her job very well. She, Saria, the twins, one of the Know-It-All Brothers, and 12 other Kokiri boys and girls had gathered at Saria's house and taken up just about every place there was to sit. Once everyone had gathered, Saria turned to the Know-It-All Brother, "Are you sure that your brother can keep Link away?"

"Are you kidding?" he replied, "He's learning from Link's swordplay demonstrations almost as much as Kalo is. I'm sure he can keep their practice going for a while."

"So why are we all here, Saria?" a Kokiri boy asked.

"Yeah, what's this really nice thing you want us to do for Link?" a Kokiri girl added.

"Well, I want us to throw a surprise party for him," Saria explained, "He's been away for over two years, we missed him so much, and now he's come back home. I want to show him just how much we missed him and how happy we are that he's home."

"Really?! A party?!" Fado said excitedly.

"Oh we love parties," the twins added with enthusiasm.

"So what are we going to do for this party, and how are we going to set it up? Most of all, how are we going to keep it a secret?" the Know-It-All Brother asked.

Just as he had asked that question, Navi flew inside through the tiny space between Saria's door curtain and her doorframe, "You wanted to see me, Saria?"

"There's one of your answers," Saria replied, waving her hand in Navi's direction.

"What? What about me?" Navi wondered.

"We're going to throw a surprise party for Link," a Kokiri boy replied.

"Wow, that's great. It's really thoughtful of all of you," said Navi, "So when are we going to have this party?"

"In a couple days," Saria replied.

"A couple days? Why in a couple days?" a Kokiri girl asked.

"Why not? The sooner, the better," one of the twins replied.

"I agree with the young one. Shouldn't we need more time to plan a party?" said Navi, doubtful of their methods.

"Well, it just happens to be a very special day. So I want us to have this party on that day," Saria explained.

"What's so special about that day?" Fado asked.

"Oh, I'm sure you know what day it is," Saria replied, winking at Fado.

"Ohhh... right. Gotcha," said Fado as she finally remembered, "I see why now. Let's do it then."

"We can make this party happen, even if we were throwing it tomorrow," said Saria, "And since it's soon, it's only better for all of us."

"So what are we going to do," the other twin asked.

"Well, I'm thinking about having this party at the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow," Saria explained, "He's definitely going to want to be in on this party. Plus, it's a really big place where everyone in Kokiri Forest can gather and have a big party."

"Is there going to be a big cake and lots of food?" one of the Kokiri boys asked.

"And is there going to be a lot of singing and dancing too?" another Kokiri boy added.

"Of course," Saria replied, "What's any party without a cake?"

"So how are we going to keep Link from finding out?" Navi asked.

"Well, Navi, that's where you come in. Your task will be to take Link somewhere... anywhere but here," Saria explained, "Since Link likes to go places now, it should be easy to keep him away from here while we get the party all set up."

"I understand," Navi replied, "I can take him to the Lon Lon Ranch to see Malon, Talon, and Epona. I can take him to the castle, to see the Gorons, to see the Zoras, or even to visit the Gerudos."

"Sounds like you'll have that taken care of," Saria commented, "We're all counting on you, Navi. It's not a **surprise** party if Link finds out about it."

"Don't worry, Saria. I won't let you or everyone else down," said Navi as she turned and left Saria's house.

"Okay everyone, the party will happen in two days. Go and tell your all your friends about it, and come up with something to bring to or do at the party," Saria instructed, "However, make sure that Mido doesn't know... at least not until tomorrow night. And definitely make sure that Link doesn't find out."

"You got it, Saria," a Kokiri boy eagerly replied.

And with that, all the Kokiri filed out of Saria's house, even Saria herself. Meanwhile, Link continued to give Kalo his fencing lessons, oblivious to Saria's and everyone else's plans.

.

_That night..._

After having spent much of the afternoon practicing swordplay with Kalo, Link returned to his tree house. He was still ecstatic over finally receiving a guardian fairy, once and for all. And since Link was home again, seemingly for good this time, he wondered what he was going to do. Although there was always something to do even in Kokiri Forest, Link also had access to nearly all of Hyrule, and even beyond. That fact gave Link so much that he could do, that it made such decisions difficult for him.

But, as much as there was to do, Link found himself reflecting on all the good times he had spent in Kokiri Forest from before his first journey began. He remembered the fun times he had shared with some of the other Kokiri, the times that Mido was mean to him and played pranks on him, and most of all the fun times that he and Saria shared together.

"Yeah, Saria," Link said to himself as thoughts of his best friend entered his mind. He had been away from her for over two years and missed her very much. And now that he was home again, he and she could play together again and talk about almost anything.

"Is something wrong, Link?" Navi wondered when she heard Link mention Saria's name.

"Oh no, I was just thinking about going to see Saria," Link replied as he stood up, "And that's what I'm going to do."

"Okay Link, don't stay out too long," Navi replied.

So Link left his house and climbed down his ladder. Then, he casually walked over to Saria's house. Once there, he lightly rapped on her doorframe.

"Yes? Who is it?" Saria's voice asked from inside.

"It's me," Link replied.

"Oh hi, Link. Come on in," Saria invited.

Link gently moved Saria's door curtain aside and walked inside to find Saria lying on her bed. She was still wearing her tunic with her dark green sweater underneath and was reading a book. "Hi Saria, what'cha reading?" Link asked, immediately noticing her book.

"Oh, just some of Hyrule's history," Saria replied.

"Really? When did you start reading about the outside world?" Link wondered.

"Since you left on your recent long adventure," Saria replied, "I had the Great Deku Sprout send for some of these history books along with a few others to be brought here. And he was more than happy to oblige. Yet, he wouldn't do it for just anyone."

"It's because you're the Forest Sage, right?" Link asked.

"More like I **will** be the Forest Sage," Saria replied, "Ever since you defeated Ganondorf and we sealed him away, ever since we were sent back to this time where we belong, the Sages' powers weren't needed anymore. That's why you and I can live our normal lives today. I'm not the Forest Sage right now, but I will be someday."

"I see," said Link.

"That's right. I'm just a normal Kokiri girl who will happen to inherit the title of 'Forest Sage' someday," said Saria as she closed her book, placed it on her nightstand, and sat up in her bed, "So what's up?"

As engrossed as he was in Saria's explanation, Link remembered why he had decided to visit her. "I was just wondering, do you want to join me outside and sit under the stars?" Link sheepishly asked, "Just us."

Saria gasped joyfully at his proposal, "Oh I'd love to." She hopped up from her bed and quickly slid her boots on. She then ran past Link and over to her door. But when she turned around, she saw Link with a rather dumbfounded look on his face. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on," she urged.

But Link just continued to stand there, staring at both Saria and her surroundings. For some reason, something looked very different to him, and he just couldn't place it. "Hey Saria, did you redecorate anytime while I was gone?" he asked.

"Redecorate, like how?" Saria asked, wondering where that question came from all of a sudden.

"I mean did you move your wall pictures around or something?" Link reiterated.

"No. I never move these pictures. I've always liked them where they are," Saria replied, "Why do you ask?"

Then, Link slowly walked up to a picture that hung on the wall almost right next to Saria's doorframe. It was an older picture of everyone in Kokiri Forest posing in front of the Great Deku Tree, with many fairies dotting the background. Right in front sat Saria and a younger Link, sitting with their shoulders snug up against each other. He always liked that picture that Saria kept of everyone, but something about the area around that picture seemed different.

"What is it, Link?" Saria wondered.

Link took a quick look at Saria, and then turned back to the picture. And to Saria's surprise, he held his hand out level with the floor and right up against the bottom of the picture frame. He then slowly moved his hand across the bottom of the picture frame and toward Saria, eventually coming in gentle contact with her forehead. That one movement explained everything, "Oh my goddesses, Saria! You've grown too!"

"Really?" Saria gasped.

"Yeah, you used to come up to the bottom of this picture frame," Link explained, "Now you're a few centimeters **above** the bottom of it."

"Well... you're only the third person to notice," said Saria, "The Great Deku Sprout and Fado are the only others who have noticed. But everyone sees me everyday. So it's very easy to **not** notice."

"But how?" Link wondered, "I thought that Kokiri don't grow up."

Saria only smiled at Link. "Let's go outside and sit under the stars," she suggested, "I even have my fairy ocarina with me. Did you bring yours?"

"Right here," Link replied as he patted his bag that hung from his hip. He then walked up to Saria, and they both left her house and headed toward the open field. They found a spot on a soft grassy knoll that provided a perfect view of the star-studded sky through a large opening in the trees. There, Link sat down while Saria flopped down on her back with her arms spread wide. "Ahh... I love this spot," Saria commented.

Link only sat silently and gazed up at the stars, enjoying both the marvelous view and his best friend's company.

"It's a really beautiful night," Saria commented softly.

"Yes it is," Link agreed.

Saria then rolled over on her side, facing Link, and rested her cheek on her palm. "You know, that was a really sweet thing that you did for Kalo today, helping him with his fencing for the festival," Saria commented.

"What, that? Oh, it was nothing at all," said Link, thinking of it as just another good deed.

"Well, it may be second nature to you, but to Kalo, you spending much of the afternoon with him and teaching him your sword skills meant the world to him," Saria explained, "It was very thoughtful of you."

"Yeah, we'll both get back at Mido for being so smug with us," Link proudly boasted.

Saria giggled in response to Link's enthusiasm, "Oh Link, you're still just as mischievous as ever. But, I do hope Mido gets what's coming to him when Kalo beats him."

"I would so love to see that... for Kalo's sake," said Link as he too flopped back in the grass. He then gazed back up at the star-studded sky. "You know, Saria, there were many nights when I was in Holodrum, Labrynna, and even the islands where I would gaze up at the stars," said Link.

"Yeah, me too," said Saria, "I too would lay here at night, or even sneak into the Sacred Forest Meadow and gaze up at the stars. Every time I did, I would often thing about you and wonder if you too were gazing at the same stars."

"I thought about you too," said Link, "I thought about you, the forest, and even Hyrule. And I often took out my fairy ocarina and played a few tunes."

"You know, Link, the night before you left, I would loved to have sat here with you... under the stars," said Saria.

"I know, me too," Link replied, "That's why I wanted to come out here tonight. It's because I didn't get to sit under the stars with you before I left."

"It's really thoughtful of you," Saria said softly as she continued to gaze up at the stars. This was the exact feeling that Saria missed over two years ago. It was very seldom that Link would sit under the stars, and even more so that he and she sat together while doing so. And every time she did get to, she cherished it. She loved spending time with Link, whether it was under the stars, when playing together, sharing music, or even just casual conversation. It was much of what made them best friends. However, as wonderful as this night was for them, Link's last question reentered Saria's mind, "Link, you were wondering how a normal Kokiri girl like me can grow up, right?"

"Don't tell me you too are really a Hylian," said Link.

"Oh no, I'm just as Kokiri as Mido, Fado, Kalo, and all the others," Saria explained, "However, I do age just like you do now. It took me by surprise too when the Great Deku Sprout told me about it."

"So how is it that you can grow up while the other Kokiri don't?" Link wondered.

"Well, he told me that because I had been awakened once as the Forest Sage," Saria explained, "It happens because the title and powers of a Sage are passed down from generation to generation, ever since the first people walked about Hyrule. And since we Kokiri do not grow, the powers of the Sage allow us to grow so that our powers may be passed down. Sages can't be immortal like us Kokiri, you know."

"I get it now," said Link, "But you said yourself that you're not the Forest Sage yet."

"Not now," Saria replied, "I was for a little bit in a time of great need. Now, I'm just an heiress. I have the powers, as do the other Sages, but they're just not awakened right now."

"I see. And are you alright with all of this?" Link asked, "I know the Kokiri enjoy being children forever. Yet, I and even you won't be children forever."

Saria faced Link and smiled, "Yes. I'm okay with it. I always knew that although I was Kokiri, I too was just a little bit different than everyone else. The Great Deku Sprout said that it was my destiny to be the Forest Sage. Plus, now I get to grow up with you."

"That's good," Link commented, "But we're all different, you know."

"But, I'm only growing up half as fast as you are," Saria continued, "So I'll still be an older child... a teenager... once you've become a man."

"Really? How is that?" Link asked.

"Simple, it's my Kokiri blood," Saria replied, "Even the powers of the Sages can't make us Kokiri grow as fast as a Hylian does."

Link let out a light laugh, "You have a point."

Saria then took out her fairy ocarina. Link noticed and slowly turned his head to face her, "What're you doing, Saria?"

"Oh, I want to play a few tunes... nice ones for a night such as this," Saria replied as she placed her ocarina to her lips.

"Yes, that would be really nice," Link softly replied, "I've always loved listening to your songs."

Link laid back and relaxed as Saria played a warm and gentle melody, one that she used to play for Link all the time. It was also a song that Link would sometimes play on his own fairy ocarina on nights that he thought about her. "So soothing," he whispered.

Saria continued to play her song, remembering all the good times that they had, and thinking about the good times that they'll share again. This surprise party for Link was going to be the first, and Saria was very excited about it.

And when Saria finished her song, she turned back to Link to get a song request from him. But when she did, she found Link fast asleep on his side. Saria then softly giggled, "Link, you're still such a fast sleeper."

She couldn't help but be mesmerized by how adorable Link looked as he slept. But as she watched him, fatigue began to creep up on her too. "I guess you can't help it, not after helping Kalo all afternoon," she whispered, smiling as she brushed his bangs aside from his face.

"Good night, Link," she whispered as she gently caressed his cheek, "Thank you so much for tonight. It really means a lot to me."

And with that, Saria slowly rose and gave one last look at the sleeping boy. Then, she turned around and went to her house to join the rest of the world in slumber.

_end of chapter 2_

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_

There's nothing like a little Link/Saria squishiness... with a little surprise that answers most questions that Link/Saria fans have: How do you get Link and Saria together since he can grow up and she can't? Well, this is one way to do it. More of the story to come. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	4. Chapter 3: Visiting Zelda

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 3

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. This is definitely a shorter chapter than my previous one. I'm sorry I took so long to get this posted. With the holidays and all, it took me longer to get this written. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 3: Visiting Zelda

"Hey Link, come on, wake up, sleepyhead," Saria's voice sounded.

Link stirred and slowly rubbed his eyes as Saria's voice resonated in his ears, and then slowly sat up. Then, when he cracked his eyes open, he found the morning light to be much brighter than usual. It was so bright that he had to shield his eyes with his hand. But when he finally opened his eyes, he discovered why it was so bright as he found himself to be still outside and on the grassy knoll. "Whoa, did I really sleep out here all night?" he shrieked.

Saria's voice giggled as she replied, "Yes you did, silly."

Link turned toward her voice to find Saria kneeling down next to him, wearing her most beautiful smile on her face. "Morning, Saria," Link greeted, "Don't tell me you slept here too."

Saria giggled again, "Of course not. I slept in my own bed, silly. But you looked so adorable when you were sleeping that I just couldn't wake you up for you to sleep in your bed."

"It's okay, Saria. I'm used to sleeping outside," said Link as he finally stood up.

"Guess what I have," said Saria as she stood up, hiding both her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Let me guess, a new book?" Link guessed.

"No, not that," Saria replied.

"A new ocarina?" Link guessed again.

"Heavens no," Saria abruptly responded, "I'll never replace my fairy ocarina. I like it too much."

"Okay now," said Link, thinking hard about what it is Saria might be hiding, "A letter for me?"

Saria smiled and shook her head, "Uh-uh, guess again."

"A neat craft you made?"

"Nope."

"Alright, Saria. I want to know. Show me what you've got behind your back," Link playfully complained.

Saria then removed her right hand from behind her back and revealed a well-crafted slingshot.

"Whoa, you got a slingshot? Cool!" Link commented, staring in awe a Saria's fine-crafted slingshot, "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, I made it while you were away looking for Navi," Saria replied.

"Brilliant," said Link.

"Yeah, I wanted to shoot a slingshot just like you, so I made myself one and practiced with it," Saria explained.

"That's great. You want to go to the Deku's shooting target and practice some shooting," Link offered.

"Sure," Saria replied, "I wanted to show you my shooting skills anyway."

"Okay, I'll meet you there. I need to go to my house and grab my slingshot," said Link.

And with that, Saria headed for the Lost Woods while Link went back to his house. Just as Link climbed up his ladder, Navi emerged from behind his door curtain. "Oh... good morning, Link," she greeted, startled by his sudden appearance, "It's good to see you up and around already."

"Yeah, you can thank Saria for that," said Link as he walked inside, with Navi following.

"Oh, she came over and woke you up, huh?" said Navi.

"Actually, she didn't come over," Link corrected as he walked over to his bag next to his bed.

Navi, however, cocked an eyebrow, skeptical of Link's answers, "It's funny how Saria calling up to you didn't wake me up, but still woke your lazy butt up."

"That's because I didn't sleep here last night," Link explained as he fumbled through his bag and fished out his slingshot, "I fell asleep outside under the stars last night."

Navi suddenly flew upward and nearly hit the ceiling, shocked by what Link had just said, "You did **what**?! I told you not to stay out too late."

"Oh relax, Navi. I've slept under the stars many times, even when we were together on our first adventure," Link reassured, "Besides, it was only Kokiri Forest. It's not like I was in the middle of Hyrule Field where monsters and skeletons like to roam at night."

"Well, just don't make a habit of it. You do have a house and a bed for a reason, you know," said Navi. She then noticed the slingshot in his hand, "So where are you going with that?"

"To the Lost Woods with Saria," Link replied as he grabbed his sword and shield, "We're going to do some target practice at the Deku's shooting target. Do you want to come along?"

"Of course," Navi eagerly replied, "I want to see how well your shooting skills have improved after so many quests."

"Well, let's go," said Link as he bolted out his door and slid down his ladder.

"Wow, you're awfully energetic and eager this morning," Navi commented as she followed close behind Link, "I wish you could be like this every morning."

'It's only because I get to play with Saria,' Link thought to himself as he continued running toward the Lost Woods, 'Otherwise, I'd probably still be sleeping in that soft grassy knoll and probably fall victim to one of Mido's pranks.'

It didn't take very long to reach the part of the Lost Woods where the Deku's shooting target was. It wasn't very deep into the Lost Woods, and Link had visited it and passed by it many times. Saria was already there, patiently waiting for him. "I see you're ready to start shooting already," Saria commented, noticing the slingshot in Link's right hand when he showed up.

"Maybe," Link replied.

"I think he just wants to be with you," said Navi, "Why else would he be so eager to join you?"

Saria and Spryte both giggled while Link glared at Navi. "That's because she's my best friend," Link scolded. Then, he turned back to Saria, "So, shall we begin?"

"Sure. You go first," Saria offered, waving her hand to the target, "I want to see the Hero of Time in action."

Link gladly obliged and stepped up to the rail separating them from the target. He held his slingshot out, removed a Deku seed from his bullet bag on his left hip, and placed it in the sling. He then pulled the sling back and aimed at the target downfield. Then, he released the sling, sending the Deku seed flying and slamming into the center of the target.

"Wow, perfect shot, Link," Saria praised, "Can you do it again?"

"Of course" Link replied. He took another Deku seed, placed it in the sling, and drew it back again. Then, he released, sending the rock-hard Deku seed flying into the bullseye again.

Saria and Navi both applauded his perfect shot. "That was great, Link," said Saria.

"You've really improved since your first adventure," Navi praised.

"Thank you, Saria, Navi," said Link, "You want to give it a try, Saria?"

"Okay," Saria replied as she stepped up to the rail next to Link.

"Let's see what you got," said Link, encouraging her as he handed her a few Deku seeds.

Saria held her slingshot in her right hand and placed a Deku seed in the sling. She then drew it back and aimed at the target. And when she let it go, the seed flew straight and struck the bullseye with deadly accuracy. She then loaded the slingshot again, aimed, and fired, striking the target again dead center. And again, she loaded her slingshot, then turned to Link and winked at him. She turned back to the target, aimed, and fired, scoring another bullseye.

"Three bullseyes in a row, way to go," the Deku scrub sitting next to the target praised, "Here's your prize."

The Deku scrub then spit a purple rupee out to Saria, which she caught in her left hand like a pro baseball player. "Wow, that's the first time he's given me a purple rupee for scoring three bullseyes," she commented as she gazed at the glistening gem in her hand, "I usually get red ones."

"Wow, you're pretty good with that slingshot, Saria," Link praised.

"Why thank you, Link," said Saria as she sat down next to Link, "The truth is, I wasn't always this good with a slingshot."

"But you look like you've been shooting one as long as I have," Link commented.

"Believe me, when I first started, I would hit everywhere **but** the target," Saria explained, "Even the Deku scrub started spitting nuts at me at me and chased me away because I accidentally shot him."

Link chuckled under his breath, "Yeah, they sure don't like being shot, whether they're the nicer Deku scrubs, Mad scrubs, or Business scrubs."

"Well, he certainly wasn't happy," said Saria, "He wouldn't let me shoot here again for over a week. I had to practice at the Sacred Forest Meadow until he let me shoot here again."

"Yeah, after you and I both sweet-talked him," Spryte added.

Link scooted closer to Saria and held his slingshot next to hers to compare them. "You did a really good job making your slingshot," he commented "Yours actually looks better than mine."

"Well, that wasn't the first slingshot I made," Saria explained, "Actually, it's my fifth one. The first two I made broke when I tried to shoot them because the sticks I used to make them weren't strong enough. My third one worked, but it wouldn't shoot very well because it was too small and uneven. The fourth one kept breaking slings before it too finally broke. And then I finally made this one, and it turned out perfect. After shooting it for a while, I decided to decorate it."

Link noticed the difference. Compared to his rather simple wooden slingshot, Saria's was painted blue and green and decorated with studded gems and down feathers of owls. "You sure didn't give up, huh," said Link.

"Of course not. I wanted to be good at shooting a slingshot just like you. So I couldn't give up," Saria replied.

"Well, I don't use **just** a slingshot," said Link, "I also shoot a bow and arrow."

"Really? That's amazing," said Saria, "You should show me sometime."

"And of course, I have my Kokiri Sword," Link continued as he took his sheathed sword off his back and showed it to Saria, "I still have it since the Great Deku Tree let me keep it for my first adventure."

Saria took the sword and held it in the palms of her hands. Having seen this sword before Link left to search for Navi over two years ago, she immediately noticed something different. The sheath itself was not only more ornate than before, but also longer by nearly the length of her forearm. She then grasped the hilt and slowly drew it from its sheath. It was then that she noticed why the sheath looked so different. "Wow, you sure made some changes to the Kokiri Sword," she commented, "The blade is completely different, as is the sheath."

"That's because I had some improvements made to it on my last adventure," Link explained, "I had these blacksmiths named Zubora and Gabora sharpen it and then temper it while I was in Termina. And right before I left Holodrum, I had another blacksmith lengthen the blade and give it a silvery gold luster."

"I guess you needed to change your sword to suit you as you grew... both in skill and in size," said Saria as she sheathed the sword and gave it back to Link, "But I like it. It really looks great."

"Thanks, Saria," Link said as he placed the sheathed sword on his back behind his shield.

Saria sat silently with a smile on her face as she and Link sat together. The usual sounds of the morning filled the Lost Woods, and the Deku scrub by the target had gone back to sleep. "You know, Link," said Saria, breaking the silence, "It really is a nice morning."

"Yes it is," Link agreed.

"I love coming here in the morning to listen to the serene sounds of the forest and listen to the spirits whisper as they wake up," she continued.

"I really like it too," said Link, "And I like being in this forest too. That's why I decided to stay here after my first adventure, and again after my last adventure. I feel so at peace here."

"Yep. No matter what amazing things you've seen in that big world out there, nothing beats home here in the forest, right?" said Saria, giving him a wink.

"Right," Link proudly replied.

"Ask him about tomorrow," Spryte whispered in Saria's ear after floating down on her shoulder.

"Oh! Hey Link, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Saria asked after being reminded of her surprise party plans.

"You know, I really don't know," Link replied, "There's so much to do just in Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods alone. I can barely imagine what all there is to do in the rest of Hyrule. It makes deciding what to do really hard."

"I see," said Saria, and then thought to herself, 'Perfect! That means there's so much out there that can keep him occupied tomorrow.'

"Hey, you can always go to Lon Lon Ranch and pay Malon, Talon, and even your Epona a visit," suggested Navi.

Those words struck Link like a hammer to an anvil. "That's right, I sent Epona back when I came home," said Link as an idea came to him, "They must be wondering about me." And with that thought, he stood up and turned to walk out of the Lost Woods.

"Wait, Link, where are you going?" Saria wondered.

"To go say hello to Malon and Talon and ride Epona. I think I'll order some Lon Lon Milk too and have it shipped here tomorrow," Link replied as he took off running, "See ya, Saria."

"Wait, Link, don't go! Link!" Saria protested, jumping up and running after him. But it was no use as he disappeared from view after a mere few steps.

Navi just hovered there next to Saria, equally bewildered by Link's sudden decision.

"Great! Now what do we do about tomorrow?" said Saria, her disappointment showing on her face and being heard in her voice.

"Don't worry, Saria," said Navi, "He did say that there was so much to do in Hyrule, so I'll find a way."

"Yeah, I hope so," Saria somberly replied.

"You are depending on me, right?" Navi reminded, "So I won't let you and everyone else down. I'll find the perfect excuse to keep Link away for tomorrow."

Then, Saria was overcome by a wave of optimism as she looked on the bright side of Link leaving so abruptly, "Hey, this gives me a chance to discuss the cake with Fado."

"That's the spirit," said Navi. And with their newfound optimism, Navi flew off to rejoin Link while Saria ran back toward Kokiri Forest.

.

_Fado's House..._

Saria lightly knocked on the doorframe of Fado's house, "Good morning, Fado. Are you home?"

"I'm right here, Saria," Fado said from right behind Saria, startling her and making her jump almost into the top of her doorframe.

"Goddesses, Fado, don't scare me like that," Saria scolded, huffing and puffing and clutching her pounding chest.

The pigtailed blonde, however, only giggled at Saria's jumpiness, "Silly, I can't believe you didn't see me."

"Well... Good Morning, Fado," Saria greeted after having caught her breath.

"Good Morning, Saria," Fado replied, "What's up?"

"Oh, Link decided to go out today instead of tomorrow," Saria explained.

Fado gasped, placing her hands on her cheeks, "Oh no, that's gonna totally blow our surprise party."

"Yeah, I know. But Navi told me not to worry and that she'll find a way to keep him away tomorrow," said Saria.

"I sure hope so," said Fado.

"But, since Link's away, why don't we discuss the really great cake I want us to make for him," said Saria.

"Sure, let's go inside," said Fado. And then, she and Saria went into Fado's house. Fado sat on her bed with her legs dangling from the side while Saria took a seat at the table. "So what kind of cake are we going to make for Link?" Fado asked.

"Well, since Link likes to travel about Hyrule and the world now, I want us to make a special cake using one of Hyrule's recipes," Saria explained, "I think it'd be great to include something from the outside in this surprise party. Plus, I think everyone else will like it too."

"That would be great," Fado commented, letting her legs swing back and forth, "But how are you going to find this recipe?"

"One of my books has a recipe that we can use," Saria replied, "While Link is out today, I'll send letters to some of the towns and villages in Hyrule and have the ingredients brought here tomorrow. Then, we can make the cake while the others set up for the party. Can you help me with the cake?"

"Gee, Saria, I'm really no good at cooking," Fado sheepishly replied, letting her eyes drift down to her swinging feet.

"That's okay. You can help me out with other stuff too," said Saria, "Even if you aren't doing the actual cooking, I could really use your help."

Fado looked back up at Saria and smiled, "Okay, Saria, I'll help you and everyone with the cake. I promise I'll do a good job."

"Thank you, Fado," said Saria.

And from there, Saria and Fado continued discussing tomorrow's party. It was a rather long discussion as both shared ideas for the party. Later, Saria and Fado discussed it with the other Kokiri, getting their ideas and formulating their plan for tomorrow's party. And all this happened as Link visited Lon Lon Ranch and rode Epona about Hyrule Field, oblivious to the Kokiri's plans.

.

_The next morning..._

"Good Morning, Link," Navi greeted as Link slowly pushed himself up from his bed. He let his legs hang from the side of his bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Good Morning, Navi," Link greeted in return. He brushed his blond bangs from in front of his face and finally opened his blue eyes for all the world, well... only Navi, to see.

"Did you sleep well?" Navi asked.

"Yes I did," Link replied, "It was the best sleep I've had since I came home."

"And it's great that you actually woke up earlier for once," Navi praised, "Anyway, we need to go to the castle and see Princess Zelda."

That suggestion made Link's pointed ears perk up, "Zelda? What for?"

"What for?! She's your friend," Navi barked in response, "You've been home for three days now and you still haven't visited her to let her know that you're home."

'That's right,' Link thought to himself as Navi jogged his memory, 'I've seen Saria so many times since I came home, I just saw Malon and Talon yesterday, but I haven't visited Zelda yet. I really ought to go see her.'

"Plus, you still have the Ocarina of Time," Navi added, "I'm sure she's going to want it back."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going," said Link as he leaped off of his bed and dashed over to his wardrobe.

"Wow, such energy for being awake so early. Keep this up, and I won't have to wake you up so much anymore," Navi commented as she floated toward the door, "I'll meet you by the village exit, okay, dearie?"

"Sure, I'll be a few minutes," Link replied.

Then, Navi slipped between Link's doorframe and door curtain and left his tree house. 'This is perfect,' Navi thought to herself, giggling to herself for what she had just accomplished, 'This will certainly keep Link away from here for a while as everyone gets the party all set up. I'm sure I can keep him busy until the sun makes it about two-thirds the way across the sky.'

Moments later, Link met Navi at the pathway out of Kokiri Forest. He was dressed in his usual green tunic and matching pointed hat, and had a white long-sleeve undershirt, white tights, and his favorite brown Kokiri Boots. He carried his Kokiri Sword and blue Hylian Shield on his back, his item bag on his right hip, and his ocarina case with the Ocarina of Time on his left hip. "Hi Navi. I'm ready," said Link.

"Okay, Link. Let's go," said Navi. And both left Kokiri Forest and crossed the rope bridge that would lead them out of the forest. Once they emerged from the forest into the vast Hyrule Field, Link had an idea.

"Hey, why don't I call for Epona so we can make it to the castle in no time," he said as he reached for the Ocarina of Time.

"Wait, Link!" Navi protested, stopping Link just as the tips of his fingers touched the ocarina, "Let's take our time getting there. I just want to enjoy the beauty of Hyrule Field on a fine morning like this."

Link thought about it for a moment as his fingertips brushed the ocarina. Then, he made his decision, "Okay, why not."

"Yes! Let's go," said Navi as they continued on their way to the castle. 'Whew, that was close,' she thought to herself, 'I want to stall him as much as possible.'

Link and Navi traveled northwest across the vast Hyrule Field by following the dirt road that would eventually lead them to Hyrule Castle. Along the way, they passed by a few stray trees and listened as the birds sang their morning birdsongs.

'Saria would so love it out here,' Link thought to himself, 'If only she could leave the forest like I can. I could show her all the beautiful sights of Hyrule, from Hyrule Field, to Death Mountain, to Lake Hylia, and especially Hyrule Castle. If only I could show her this wonderful world, if only...'

"Hey Link, what'cha thinking about?" Navi asked, floating right next to his face.

"Oh, nothing really," Link evasively replied after losing his train of thought.

"Come on now, I know you were thinking about something. You don't space out unless something's on your mind," Navi beckoned.

"Well," Link reluctantly surrendered, "I was sort of wishing that Saria could leave the forest too, just like we can. I would be able to show her all of these wonderful things that the Great Deku Tree used to tell us about, and things that she reads about."

"Well, she seems to be okay with staying in the forest, just like the other Kokiri are," said Navi, "Besides, she can venture all around the Lost Woods, something that only you and she can do. The other Kokiri are too afraid to go very far into the Lost Woods."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Link, "It is something that she and I can share together."

As Link and Navi passed by another lone tree, a loud and sudden hoot from an owl startled them. They both glanced up into the tree to find a familiar brown and tan giant male eagle-owl perched on a large branch. 'Hoot! Hello Link. It's so wonderful to see you back home after your long adventure. And I see you've found Navi too," the owl said.

"Good Morning, Kaepora Gaebora. Long time, no see," Link greeted his old mentor.

"It's been over two years, has it?" said Kaepora Gaebora, "My, how you've grown so much."

"Yeah. Navi, Saria, the Great Deku Sprout, Malon, and Talon all said so too," said Link.

"Well, you'll find that all your friends will think and say the same thing as you visit them," said Kaepora Gaebora, "Growing up is a part of life, after all. And with you being away for so long, your friends will take notice. I take it you're on your way to see one of them right now."

"Yes, I'm on my way to visit Princess Zelda at the castle," Link replied.

"Well then, I don't want to keep you. Take care of yourself, young Link, and cherish your friendships. Hoot, hoot!" said Kaepora Gaebora. And with that last sentence, he spread his giant wings and gave one powerful flap, pushing himself off his perch. And then, the wise old owl took off into the morning sky and out of sight.

"It seems Kaepora Gaebora is doing well," said Navi.

"It sure seems like it," Link agreed, "Come on, let's go see Zelda."

And the boy and his guardian fairy continued on their way toward Hyrule Castle.

.

_Hours later, Hyrule Castle Town..._

Link and Navi crossed the drawbridge into the well-protected Hyrule Castle Town. And just as they had crossed, the jovial sounds of the crowded market square filled the air around them.

So Link ran toward the market square, with Navi following close behind. Once there, they found an unusually large crowd of people walking and dancing about the market square.

"Wow, I see the town is as bustling as ever," Navi commented.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Link agreed as he glanced about the square. After being away for so long, and still having vivid memories of his last visit there, Link noticed a few minor details. "It looks like they've set up more outdoor shops out here in the last couple years."

"I can see why it would be so crowded," said Navi, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling marketplace. Then, she snapped out of her trance. "Hey Link, let's go."

"Right," Link replied as they navigated through the crowd of people and made their way toward the castle meadow.

Once they arrived at the Hyrule Castle meadow, they found numerous guards walking about the road on their usual patrols. Link was about to round the blind corner and make his way toward the middle gate when Navi flew in front of his face and stopped him.

"What are you doing, Navi?" Link protested.

"Link, we don't have an invitation. I don't think the guards are going to let us in," Navi explained, "And I don't think the guards are going to believe the _Hero of Time_ story either. And worse, if they catch you with the Ocarina of Time, they'll throw us in the dungeon for sure."

"Yeah, you're right," said Link as he hid behind the corner from the two guards standing at the gate, "Zelda really doesn't like to tell her father very much about what she does."

"Right. So why don't we sneak inside the castle like we used to do," suggested Navi.

"Alright," Link eagerly replied, "Sounds like fun." He turned around and found the wall covered with vines, "Perfect!"

Navi only shook her head, "As much as you've grown, you sure haven't changed much."

Link grasped the vines and climbed up the cliff, with Navi following him close. When he reached the top, he ran over to where the middle gate to the castle was. Once there, he stooped down low and walked atop the ramparts over the gate and to the hill of the meadow. Then, he lied down in the grass and out of sight as he and Navi surveyed the meadow and the road to the castle's main gate.

"They sure do have plenty of guards," said Navi.

"No kidding," Link agreed, "If we can just reach the moat, we'll sneak in through the side."

"But last time you came here, you were both younger and smaller. Are you sure you can still fit through that little drainage?" Navi wondered.

"I hope so," Link replied as he found an opening in the path toward the moat, "We'll just have to see when we get there. Let's go."

Link may have found an opening, but it required him to stray far from the path to the castle's gate and climb onto another hill at the southwest end of the castle, with the drain being at the east side. So Link ran toward the hill, hiding behind each and every tree and shrub along the way like a true ninja. He checked to make sure the guards and patrols weren't looking, and then sprinted for the hill.

In no time at all, Link arrived without being seen by any of the guards. Then, he took one last glance for any patrols and turned to Navi, "Are you ready?"

"Aren't I always," Navi replied with a mischievous smirk.

Then, Link leaped into the moat with a perfect swan dive. Once he surfaced, he hugged the outer wall of the moat, making sure the guards wouldn't see him, and he silently swam the moat. With the moat's current flowing in his favor, Link found staying stealthy quite easy. Moments later, he and Navi arrived at the platform at the east side of the castle. Link emerged from the moat and, finding no guards, removed his soaked hat and tunic and wrung out most of the water. He then shook the water from his blond hair like a wet dog before putting his hat and tunic back on. "Wow, that was fun," he commented.

"I'm sure it was. But the question is: Can you fit through that hole over there?" said Navi, pointing in the direction of the drainage hole near the castle's side entrance.

Link gazed at the hole for a few minutes to size it up, and then took a look at himself. "I think I can. Let's try," he replied.

So he took his Longshot grappling hook from his bag and aimed at the lion's head sculpture above the drainage hole. He then fired and connected with it, and the spring-loaded chain yanked him off the ground and across the moat. He then released the hook and dropped harmlessly to the floor in front of the hole. He then dropped to his hands and knees and poked his head inside, and then back out. "Oh yeah, I can still fit," he said, and then waved Navi over.

So Link crawled inside the drainage tunnel that would take him through the inner walls of the castle. He had no more than a few inches between his head and shoulders and the walls of the tunnel.

Soon, he emerged from the drainage tunnel and found himself inside of Hyrule Castle. Navi quickly followed and peered over the short wall separating the drainage tunnel from the rest of the castle. "Good, no guards," she commented as she floated over the wall, "Let's go. I'll fly ahead of you and keep a watch out for any guards."

"Okay," Link replied as he leaped over the short wall and crept his way up to an open archway. He promptly hid as Navi scanned the large open passage.

"No guards here, come on," said Navi. She quickly flew ahead as Link casually walked the passageway. Navi rounded a corner to another large atrium and began scanning the area. With no guards in sight, she signaled to Link again and launched herself ahead toward the castle's courtyard.

Within moments, Link met Navi at the archway that led to the courtyard. "It's strange how there's no guards in this part of the castle. There's supposed to be more patrols than this," Link commented, "I guess most of them decided to patrol outside the castle."

"Maybe," said Navi, with a smile forming on her face, "But guess what? Zelda's in the courtyard. Let's go see her, shall we?"

And so Link and Navi crossed under the archway and walked into the large grass and flower-filled courtyard. There, in the middle of the courtyard, sat Princess Zelda on her knees in the flowerbed, with her back turned to the boy and his fairy. Link immediately noticed that Zelda no longer wore her coif, with her golden blond hair hanging down to her upper back. She wore the same white and magenta dress with pink and purple highlights and long sky blue sleeves that was customary for the young princess.

"Well, Link? Aren't you going to announce your arrival?" Navi urged.

And just as Navi had spoken, Zelda stood up and glanced over her left shoulder, finding the boy dressed in green accompanied by a fairy. When she saw him, she spun around on her heels as waves of joy flooded her. She gasped and held her hands tightly together at her chest, and then shrieked, "Link! You're back!"

And immediately, the young princess took off toward Link as fast as her long white skirt would allow her. But as she neared him, she slowed down and gently wrapped her arms around Link in a gentle embrace. "Link, I'm so glad you're home," she said, barely above a whisper, squeezing Link affectionately.

Link gladly returned the young princess's embrace. "Are you sure it's proper for a princess to be hugging a guy like me?" Link playfully teased.

"Of course, silly. I'm your friend," Zelda replied.

They let each other go, stood at arm's distance from each other, and looked at each other. Zelda noticed quite a difference in Link's attire. She noticed that he wore a white undershirt and a pair of white tights, and brown bracers on his wrists. They were articles and accessories that he didn't wear with his tunic when she last saw him. To Zelda, it only made him look more elegant in his role as "Hero of Time".

Link, however, noticed very few differences in Zelda's attire, aside from the fact that she now wore an elegant golden jeweled tiara instead of her young maiden's coif. The front piece of her dress was a magenta banner that bore a golden crest of the Royal Family, the Triforce atop a block-figure eagle, all held in place with a decorative golden chain belt.

Zelda spoke up first, "Link, you've certainly..."

"Grown... yes, I know," Link finished, "And so have you."

"Well, what can you expect? I was 10 years old when we first met. Now, I'm 13," said Zelda.

'She's certainly becoming quite a beautiful young lady,' Link thought to himself as he glanced into the smiling princess's beautiful blue eyes, 'But, she's the princess, after all. She has to be beautiful.'

"Come, Link. Sit with me," said Zelda as she turned around and walked back to the flowerbed where she was. Link followed close behind, and then sat down in the flowers, Indian-style, while Zelda sat next to him on her knees in a more modest manner.

"I see you finally found Navi," said Zelda as she finally commented on the glowing blue aura of a fairy hovering around them.

"Hello, Princess. It's certainly been a long time," Navi greeted.

"Please, Navi. You're Link's dear friend. You can call me Zelda," said Zelda.

"Yeah, it took me over two years of traveling distant lands and fighting off evil to find her," Link explained.

"Really? You actually traveled outside of Hyrule?" said Zelda with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I sure did," Link replied.

Then, Zelda turned and stared down at the flowers in front of her with a frown quickly forming on her face. "It's no fair. You get to travel the world and I'm still stuck here at the castle, only going out with my father every now and then," Zelda complained.

"Well, it wasn't all fun and games, you know," said Link, "After my long and treacherous journey, it sure feels great to be back home."

"So, how did you get in the castle past all the guards out there?" Zelda asked. But just as Link opened his mouth to reply, the answer to her question hit her like bat to a ball, "Wait, I know how. You don't have to answer. You could've sent me a letter saying that you were home. I would've sent you an invitation so you wouldn't have to sneak past the guards."

"That's really kind of you, but I sorta wanted it to be a surprise," said Link.

"Humph, liar," Navi scoffed with her arms crossed, thinking. 'I had to **remind** you to visit her.'

"What, it's true," Link rebutted, "I wanted it to be a surprise from the get-go."

"Whatever, Link. Tell her about the Ocarina of Time," suggested Navi.

"Oh, right," said Link as he reached for his left hip and took the Ocarina of Time from its bag.

"Here, Zelda," he said, presenting the shiny blue ocarina to her, "Thank you so much for letting me borrow this. You have no idea how much this little ocarina helped me on my adventures, and how much I needed it."

Zelda took the ocarina in both her hands and held it tightly against her upper chest, "Oh, I had some idea that you were going to need it. My dreams had told me so. That's why I let you borrow it."

"That's right, the reason I came and saw you before I left," said Link after being reminded of the letter he had received from Zelda the day he had left Hyrule to search for Navi.

"In fact, I had a dream a couple nights ago. In my dream, I was standing high atop the castle town's outer ramparts, gazing out toward the field," Zelda explained, "I looked away for a moment to talk to some of the guards who were wondering what I was doing up there. And when I turned back to Hyrule Field, there you were. You were mounted on a beautiful chestnut with a white mane, and had Navi floating next to you. And since then, I've felt your aura all over Hyrule. So a part of me knew that you had come home."

"I came back to Hyrule three nights ago," said Link, "I went back to Kokiri Forest and surprised my best friend."

"You missed Saria, didn't you?" said Zelda, looking into Link's blue eyes.

"Of course, I messed all my friends here," Link replied, and then averted his eyes, "But yes, I missed her a lot. I was sad when I left, having to leave her behind. So I owed it to her to spend some time with her and the other Kokiri."

"I see. You really are a great friend. She's really lucky to have someone like you," said Zelda.

Link turned away, trying his best not to blush at Zelda's comment. 'No, Zelda, I'm the one who's lucky to have a friend who's been as friendly and caring for all my life like Saria,' Link thought to himself, 'You really have no idea how much she means to me. In fact, I think I...'

"Link?" Zelda called, breaking him from his thoughts. Link turned back to Zelda to see her presenting him the Ocarina of Time in her outstretched hands.

"Here, Link. Take it," said Zelda, "There was another reason that I let you borrow the Ocarina of Time."

Link gently took the ocarina from Zelda's hands and placed it back into its protective pouch. Then, he turned back to Zelda as she explained.

"You see, the Triforce remains safe behind its barrier at the Temple of Time," she began, "And you know that to open the Door of Time, you need the three Spiritual Stones. Once gathered, the Ocarina of Time is the final key to opening the Door of Time, and thus having access to both the sacred Master Sword and entry to the Sacred Realm. And with you on your long journey, you kept that final key safely away from Hyrule should evil rise again. Even now, I feel the Ocarina of Time would be safer in your possession than in mine."

'Not really. I lost it to the possessed Skull Kid when I was in Termina,' he thought to himself, 'But at least I got it back and realized just how precious it really is.'

"So keep it safe for me, please?" Zelda pleaded.

"Of course," Link replied, "For the Princess of Hyrule, I'll keep it safe."

"Link, Look up," said Navi. They all looked up to the sky and saw that the sun had already completed two-thirds of its trip across the sky.

"It's getting late. We really need to be getting back to Kokiri Forest, and fast," said Navi.

"Okay," said Link as he stood up, "But why in such a hurry?"

"Well..." Navi started to reply, not wanting to spoil the surprise party, "It takes a while to get back. And we don't to be out in Hyrule Field after dark."

"It's okay, I'll have the guards escort you out," said Zelda as she too stood up, "Thank you for coming to visit me. It meant so much to me to see that you came home safely from your adventure. You're welcome to visit again anytime. Just let me know, and I'll send you an invitation."

And so the two walked out of the courtyard and made their way through the castle's atrium to search for one of the patrolling guards.

.

_Moments later..._

After the guard escorted Link all the way to Hyrule Castle Town and left him with a smile, Link ran through the less crowded market square and toward the castle's outer gate. With it being later in the afternoon, a number of the market's patrons had already left and headed back home. And in no time at all, Link and Navi made it to the outer wall and ran across the drawbridge.

Once in Hyrule field, they glanced up at the sky and saw the sun as it continued its trip across the western sky. "Great! How are we going to get back quickly before it gets dark?" Navi complained, and then thought to herself, 'Oh Goddesses, we're going to be so late. I hope the others don't give up on us.'

"I can call Epona and race back," Link said as he reached for his fairy ocarina from his item bag on his right hip.

"Great idea, Link," Navi praised, and then thought, 'No, it'll be way late by the time we get there. They'll be so mad at us.'

"Hoot, hoot! Link, up here," Kaepora Gaebora's voice summoned from above just as Link placed his fairy ocarina to his lips. He glanced up toward the sky to see the wise old giant owl circling high above them. "It's getting late. Do you need me to take you back to Kokiri Forest?" the old owl offered.

"We're saved." Navi said ecstatically.

"Oh, do I ever," Link replied, putting his fairy ocarina back into his item bag.

"Okay, grab onto my talons and hang on tight," said Kaepora Gaebora as he swooped down and took a hold of Link's outstretched arms as Navi grabbed onto Link's tunic. In turn, Link grabbed a firm hold of Kaepora Gaebora's ankles as the old owl gave a few powerful flaps, sending them high into the air. Kaepora Gaebora immediately turned in the direction of Kokiri Forest and took off.

Link and Navi could barely enjoy the marvelous view of Hyrule Field from so high up as the wind blowing in their face from the old owl flying so fast kept their eyes shut for much of the trip. In almost no time at all, they felt Kaepora Gaebora slowing down and descending as they neared Kokiri Forest. They opened their eyes just as Kaepora Gaebora nearly landed in the small canyon leading to Kokiri Forest. With the ground so close, Kaepora Gaebora let go of Link, letting him fall gently to the ground.

Link turned back up to his old friend and mentor, "Thank you so much, Kaepora Gaebora."

"It's the least I can do for you," Kaepora Gaebora replied, "You take care of yourself, Link. And tell Saria and the Great Deku Sprout that I said hello."

"I will," Link replied as Kaepora Gaebora flew of toward the Lost Woods.

'You're really a life saver, Kaepora Gaebora,' Navi thought to herself as she and Link walked back toward Kokiri Forest, with Link unaware of the surprise that awaited him there.

_end of chapter 3_

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Hey, you can't have a Zelda story without Zelda somewhere in it. We all know what's going to come next, so I'll just run with it. Any reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	5. Chapter 4: Surprise Party

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 4

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. I apologize for taking so long to get Chapter 4 posted. Work got really crazy with the weather getting so bad throughout much of the U.S. since Christmas... so lots of overtime. But I finally got it posted. Enjoy.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 4: Surprise Party

After having gotten a ride through the air, courtesy of Kaepora Gaebora, Link and Navi had arrived back at Kokiri Forest with plenty of time before the sun would set. No one felt more thankful, and relieved, for Kaepora Gaebora's generosity than Navi. It had been Navi's job to keep Link away from Kokiri Forest as long as possible while Saria and the other Kokiri carried out their grand scheme. However, after deciding to take it slow and walk the long distance to the castle, they had taken much more time than Navi had realized. And because of that, she feared they wouldn't make it back to Kokiri Forest on time... until the wise old owl came along and saved the day.

And now, that they were back, Link walked casually across the rope bridge, relieved to be back home and have plenty of time to spend with Saria and the others before nightfall. Navi, however, stayed behind Link, beaming and trying her hardest not to giggle at what Link was about to walk into. Unfortunately, Link's keen pointed ears caught a few snickers coming from Navi. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Navi asked, quickly finding an explanation to hide the truth, "I just found it funny that we were so worried about not making it back here before dark. And lo and behold, along came Kaepora Gaebora to the rescue."

"Hey, I wasn't worried. You were the one who was worried," Link argued.

"Oh come now, Link, you were just as worried as I was," said Navi, "You were the one sprinting through the marketplace like a tardy postman. You were the one in such a rush to call for Epona."

"That was because you were the one in such a rush to get back before sundown," Link argued again, "Now why were **you** the one so worried about getting back here so quickly?"

"Well...," Navi began, trying to come up with another excuse, "I was just worried for your well-being, that's all. After all, it **is** my job, being your guardian fairy and all."

"I understand," said Link as they approached the entrance to the village of Kokiri Forest, "But you know I can take care of myself very well, even at night."

Soon, they emerged from the passageway and into Kokiri Forest. However, Link found the village to be eerily quiet. Not a single Kokiri could be seen anywhere in the village, when there was always at least a few either standing or running about. So Link slowly walked in the big field near the entrance, looking all around for signs of life. "Where is everybody?" Navi asked, doing her best to stay in character.

"Yeah, it sure seems to be awfully quiet for it still being in the afternoon," said Link.

"Hey Link!" a girl's voice called out, breaking the eerie silence.

Link and Navi turned toward the center of the village to find Fado running toward them, her blond pigtails bouncing as she ran. In no time at all, she stopped right in front of them, huffing and puffing as she tried to catch her breath. Fado's actions perplexed Link. "Are you okay, Fado? What is it?" he asked, sensing something wrong.

Fado looked back up at Link with a half-terrified look on her face. Just as she did, Link felt his stomach drop, fearing the worst had happened. 'What happened? Did something happen? To the Great Deku Sprout? To the others? To Saria?' Link thought to himself as his heart began racing.

"Link, thank the goddesses you're here," she said, "The Great Deku Sprout... he needs to see you right away."

"Oh no, the Great Deku Sprout," Navi gasped. And immediately, she raced far ahead of Link and toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow.

"Wait, Navi!" Link yelled as he ran after her, leaving Fado far behind. He quickly made it to the passage to the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, where a few angry Deku Babas greeted him. They lunged at him with their snapping jaws of teeth, impeded by their long stems. Link immediately drew his sword. "I have no time for you guys," Link snapped as he quickly slashed at their stems, severing them with ease and thus easily dispatching them.

He sheathed his sword and took off running into the meadow, fueled by the adrenaline rush from his pounding heart. But when he emerged from the passageway, he found everybody in the village gathered by the Great Deku Sprout, looking right in his direction.

"Surprise!!!" they all cheered as a lot of them jumped up and down while others fired off party poppers.

Link only stood there with his mouth hanging open and his eyes popping wide open, "W-Wha..." he barely muttered. Sure he was relieved that all seemed well in Kokiri Forest, but this had completely taken his breath away.

"Welcome home, Link," the twins said in unison as they ran up to the awestruck Link. They both placed hand-made leis of beautiful forest flowers around his neck, and then wrapped their arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

"W-Wha..." was Link's only response. After the twins let go of him and ran back toward the group, Link felt a hand gently lay on his right shoulder. Fado then appeared from behind him and looked into his blue eyes. This time, Link found not the terrified look from before in her cerulean blue eyes, but a much calmer and very happy one.

"Welcome home, Link," said Fado, wrapping her arms carefully around his shoulders, in between his back and his Hylian Shield, and gave him a gentle hug, "It's so great to finally have you back."

"W-Wha... What is all this?" Link finally stuttered as Fado let go of him and ran off to join the other Kokiri.

"It's a _'welcome home'_ party," Saria replied as she emerged from the crowd.

Link looked all around the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. There were a large number of chairs and tables all about the meadow, many of them filled with all kinds of food under covered serving trays. Numerous green and yellow banners hung from the trees and many green and yellow balloons were tethered to the ground and tables. A large number of torches lined the boundaries of the party area, while decorative lanterns stood next to each of the tables.

"Wow, you really decorated, didn't you?" Link observed, completely awestruck by his surroundings, "It looks like the festivals we have every year."

Saria looked down sheepishly at her feet, drawing circles in the grass with her toe, "Well... I guess we went a little overboard with the decorations, huh?"

"Overboard? It's brilliant," Link praised.

"Then I guess we're just gonna have to do better for this year's festival, right?" Saria smirked.

"Right," Link replied, and then took another look at all the decorations and then at everyone who had gathered, "All of you did all of this for me?"

"Well, yeah," Saria replied, "We wanted to give you a proper _'welcome home'_."

"Wow. I-I d-don't know what to say," Link stuttered.

Saria walked up to him and took his hand into hers, placed her other on his shoulder, and led him toward the group. "Just enjoy the party, 'kay?" she replied, showing her warmest smile.

"Hey Link," Mido called out from the crowd.

'Whoa, he actually called me by my name,' Link thought to himself as Mido emerged from the crowd of Kokiri, wearing his usual arrogant and haughty expression, and approached him and Saria.

Saria scowled at Mido, expecting him to try and steal the spotlight from Link by throwing his usual insults. Link, however, only looked confused, wondering what had gotten into Mido all of a sudden. Mido stopped before them and gazed at Link, ignoring Saria's glare. "I just want to say...," Mido started, and then hesitated as he noticed Saria lowering her eyebrows at him, piercing him with her glare, "I just wanted to say that I'm glad that you're finally home."

Mido extended his open right hand, much to both Link's and Saria's surprise. Both expected him to make some snide remark, but not this. Link took Mido's hand as they shook like a pair of gentlemen. Mido then patted Link's right shoulder with his free hand as they shook. "But, this doesn't mean that we're friends now. I'll still tease 'ya and pick on 'ya."

"Oh really?" Link said, smiling, "Do remember: I'm bigger than you now."

"So? That doesn't mean anything," Mido responded.

"Mido!" Saria scolded, trying her best not to snicker at the silly boys.

"But, I'm really glad to have you back. It's no fun not having you around to tease," said Mido.

"Likewise. I'm sure it'll be our way of having fun," said Link as both snickered.

'Will those two ever learn?' Saria thought to herself as she finally burst out laughing.

When Mido walked back to the group, Link turned to Saria, "Wow, he's actually being nice for once."

"Well, we sorta kept him in the dark until today," Saria explained, "Besides, you know Mido won't turn down a good party."

"Yeah, I guess so," said Link, "But... why today? I've been home for a few days now."

"Well, we had to get everyone together to plan it," Saria replied, "It takes time to plan a party, especially one like this. Plus, I wanted it today because it's a very special day."

"Really? And what's so special about today?" said Link, cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh my goddesses, silly, I can't believe you don't know," said Saria, "Isn't today your birthday?"

A light bulb clicked on in link's head at the mention of his birthday. "That's right. It is my birthday, I totally forgot. I just haven't thought of it much in the last two years. You really remembered my birthday?"

"Of course I did. You're my best friend," Saria replied, "Do you remember mine?"

Link thought about it for a second, "Umm... the seventh day of the second month of spring, right?"

"Right on," Saria replied as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, "Happy Birthday, Link."

Link wrapped his arms around Saria's waist and returned her hug, "Thank you, Saria."

"You're welcome, Link," said Saria as they let go of each other, "Although we Kokiri often celebrate each other's birthdays, yours is special because you're growing up, unlike the rest of us Kokiri."

"How old are you now, Link?" Kalo asked from the crowd.

"Umm... I'm 13 years old now," Link replied after thinking about it.

Saria turned toward the crowd and motioned for someone to come to her. She then walked toward the crowd and away from Link as Kalo emerged. She then bent down to him where their heads were right next to each other. "Are there 13 of them?" she whispered in Kalo's ear.

"Yep," Kalo whispered back, "You're good, Saria."

"Thanks. I've only known him since he was still a baby," Saria whispered before she stood back up straight, and then peeked over her shoulder at Link.

"Now what was all that about, Saria?" Link asked, with his hands at his hips and a smirk on his face.

"Oh, a little something we did for you," Saria replied with a mischievous smile, "But we'll have to show you later."

"Oh, okay. So how did you get all this planning and setting up done without me knowing?" Link wondered.

"Ummm... ask Navi. She was the one in charge of keeping you busy," Saria replied.

When Saria mentioned Navi's name, Link began to look all around for her, remembering that Navi had raced ahead of him when they arrived. He then found the glowing blue aura of his guardian fairy as she finally emerged from the crowd of Kokiri and their fairies. "Navi? You knew about all of this?" said Link, dumbfounded.

"Well, not everything," Navi replied, "I didn't know everything that everyone was planning. I just knew about a surprise party and made sure to keep you busy today while they set everything up."

"So that's why you wanted to take a more leisurely walk to the castle, huh?" Link inquired.

Navi nodded in reply.

"And also why you were in such a hurry to get back here," Link added, "It's because you thought we were late for the party, right?"

Navi smiled and nodded in reply.

"You guys were late," said Fado, "Saria, the Great Deku Sprout, and I were all getting worried about you and Navi. So we sent Kaepora Gaebora out to look for you."

"Ahhhh.... I see now," Link commented, nodding as he added it all together and inwardly praised everyone for their ingenuity. They had succeeded in not only planning and setting up this party while keeping him in the dark, but also making sure that he made it to the party.

"So what should we do first, now that Kink is here?" a Kokiri girl in the crowd asked.

Saria thought about it for a minute. She and the others had planned so much for this party that they would end up making a miniature festival out of a welcome home/birthday party. She wanted to show off the cake that she and the others had worked so hard on, but she thought better of it and decided to save it and the feast for later. There was other stuff they could do before they'd partake in the big feast she had set up.

"Why not games?" suggested a Kokiri boy in the crowd.

"Yeah, games sound good," Fado agreed, turning to Saria to await her decision.

"Okay, why not," Saria replied as everyone had made such an easy decision for her.

"Yay, games!" most of the Kokiri whooped and hollered, throwing their arms up in celebration.

"Brilliant. What are we going to play?" Link wondered.

"Oh, we have the perfect game for you. It's yours and Mido's favorite," Saria replied, winking at Link.

"We're gonna whack a dummy with Deku sticks," Fado added.

"Oh wow, I love that game," said Link, "The fact that Deku sticks break very easy is what makes it so fun."

"Me too," Mido added as he ran forward to join Link, Saria, and Fado, "You better hope your stick doesn't break if you're gonna beat me."

"As long as you don't rig everyone's sticks to break on one whack," Link jabbed back.

"Oh, you don't have to worry, boys," Saria reassured, "The Great Deku Sprout kindly provided us with plenty of Deku sticks for this game, so all is fair."

"Great, this will be fun," Link said excitedly, then turned to Mido, "Right?"

"You know I'll have fun beating you," Mido replied with an arrogant smirk.

So Link, Mido, and all the other Kokiri gathered at a nearby tree. From one of the branches hung a sandbag the size of a small shrub, with a red and yellow bullseye painted on either side of it to mark where to hit it. A stick protruded from the bottom of it, coming nearly to the ground, with its tip painted red. And on the ground sat a circle, letting the Kokiri know just how far the sandbag should swing.

Saria and Fado then approached the group, carrying large bundles of Deku sticks in their arms. They gently set the sticks down off to the side and turned to the crowd. "Okay, boys and girls, listen up," Saria announced.

When everyone turned to her and lent her their ears, she began explaining the game, "The object of the game is to take a Deku stick and hit the dummy as hard as you can. The tip of the dummy's stick must go outside the circle. If not, you have to hit it again. If your Deku stick breaks, you're out of the game. We keep going until only one kid is left standing, and that kid wins the game. Any questions?"

All the Kokiri looked around at each other, expecting one unlucky kid to raise their hand. However, they only remained silent and turned back to Saria.

"I have a question," said Link, anxiously raising his left hand high in the air.

Mido facepalmed at Link's delayed reaction, muttering to himself, "Idiot. You just had to be the one with questions, didn't you?"

Saria rolled her eyes at Link delaying the start of the game, "Yes, Link?"

"What if there are two of us left and we both break our sticks?" he asked.

"Then you go again until one kid's stick doesn't break," Saria replied, "So who's first?"

"I'll go first," said Kalo, jumping up and down with his hand high in the air, anxious to get the game started.

"Okay, Kalo. Start us off," said Saria.

So Kalo walked toward where Saria and Fado had placed the Deku sticks and took one from the pile. Then, he stepped up to the dummy and took a deep breath. He then gripped the stick tightly in his right hand and, remembering everything Link had taught him a couple days ago about balance, swung at the dummy with just enough force. The dummy swung on its rope under the force, with the tip of its stick making it barely outside the circle. Then, Kalo held his stick up high to show everyone that it was still in once piece.

"Alright, Kalo!" Saria praised, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Way to go, Kalo," said Link.

Fado walked up to the swinging dummy and grabbed a hold of it. She held it tight to steady it as one of the Know-It-All Brothers stepped up and took a Deku stick. He then marched right up to the dummy and promptly gave it a good thrash, sending it swinging well outside the circle. His stick remained unscathed, so he pointed it to Fado, giving her the next turn.

She grabbed a Deku stick from the pile and walked up to the swinging dummy. After steadying it, she took a deep breath and smacked the sand-filled dummy. It successfully swung outside the circle, but Fado's stick broke upon impact. "Oh no, it broke," she moaned as she walked away.

Mido stepped up next, grabbing a Deku stick. He then marched up to the dummy after a Kokiri boy from his posse steadied it for him. He gripped the stick in his right hand and thrust it into the dummy, easily sending it outside the circle without breaking the stick.

Saria glared at Mido, "Mido! You have to whack it, not stab it."

"Aww, do I have to?" Mido moaned.

"Yes you do," Saria replied, and then shook her finger at him, "No cheating, Mido."

So Mido whacked the dummy as his eyes never strayed from Saria's piercing glare. The dummy swung outside the circle with ease, with Mido's stick still in once piece.

Another one of the Know-It-All Brothers grabbed a Deku stick and marched right up to the dummy.

"Here, Mido. Step aside and let me show you how it's done," he boasted. He gripped the Deku stick in his hand and swung it at the dummy, meeting it with a loud **crack**. The dummy barely even moved despite the powerful swing, and everyone laughed at him as his stick had snapped in two like a twig.

"Oh yea, just like that," Mido teased.

The Know-It-All Brother hung his head down in shame and walked away from the dummy.

"Hey, let Saria go next," suggested one of the twins.

"Yeah Saria, go for it," the other twin encouraged.

"Alright, I'll go next," said Saria.

All the Kokiri cheered on as Saria took a Deku stick and calmly walked up to the dummy. She grasped the Deku stick with both hands, her left over her right, and gave the dummy a good whack to the side. Saria's stick remained intact as the dummy swung easily outside the circle.

"Alright, Saria!" Fado cheered.

Saria smiled and waved to everyone as they celebrated her triumph. Then, she spoke up, effectively quieting everyone down. "Hey, how about we let the birthday boy go next?" she suggested.

"Yeah, we wanna see Link give the dummy a good whack," said Kalo, with all the other Kokiri cheering him on.

Link anxiously ran to the pile of sticks and quickly grabbed one. Then, he walked up to the dummy as Fado steadied it for him. Link closed his eyes and focused his energy within. He then gripped the stick tightly in his left hand, braced his right foot, and swung at the dummy with just enough force to send it swinging barely outside the circle. Link raised his stick up, showing everyone that it was still whole, to which everyone cheered.

"Way to go, Link," the twins whooped as Link tossed the stick away like a piece of rubbish and rejoined the group.

After five rounds of everyone beating the sand-filled dummy with their Deku sticks, only 3 were still in the game. Link, Kalo, and Saria all stood together as everyone else watched. "So, who goes first?" Link asked.

"How about we do a little game of rock_-paper-scissors_?" suggested Kalo.

"Okay," Saria eagerly as she placed her left fist in her right palm. After a quick Kokiri chant, Saria's rock beat both boys' scissor, "I'll go first."

So Saria picked up a Deku stick and walked up to the dummy. She gripped the stick tightly in both hands and smacked the dummy hard, sending it swinging outside the circle. But, she also broke her stick in the process, sending her out of the game.

"It's okay, Saria," Fado reassured, gently patting Saria on the shoulder, "You did great."

"I know. It's the farthest I've ever gone in this game," said Saria as she joined the crowd of spectators.

"That left Link and Kalo standing. "Okay, Kalo, you or me?" Link asked.

"Well, it's your birthday, so you go first," Kalo replied.

"Sounds good to me," said Link as he and Kalo each grabbed a Deku stick. They walked up to the dummy together like true warriors. Then, Link stepped up and closed his eyes, performing the same pre-strike focus routine as he did in previous rounds. He then braced and swung at the dummy, hitting it with just enough force to send its bottom outside the circle. But, it was also enough force to snap the stick in two.

"Oh no, Link's out," Fado gasped with her palms on her cheeks in utter disbelief.

Link turned to Kalo after his defeat, "Okay, Kalo, it's your turn. If your stick doesn't break, you win. You can do it... just like I taught 'ya."

"Alright," Kalo eagerly replied as he stepped up to the dummy. He too closed his eyes and focused his inner chi as both of the twins steadied the dummy. Kalo then opened his eyes and swung at the dummy, striking it perfectly and sending it swinging outside the circle without breaking his stick. And when he held his stick up high, all the Kokiri, including Mido, cheered and celebrated his victory.

"That was brilliant, Kalo," Saria praised.

"I'm so proud of you," Link added.

"Alright! Go Kalo!" the twins both cheered as they ran up to Kalo and hugged him.

After the victory celebration, they all participated in other long-time favorite birthday party games. One game Link found himself to be quite adept at was taking a Deku stick and hitting a piñata. Being the last one up when everyone else had failed to hit the Mad Scrub shaped object, Link split the piñata in half and spilled lots of tasty fruits, berries, fudge, nuts, and other Kokiri treats.

Other games included tossing small bags of sand at empty bottles, pinning tails on a picture of a Wolfos, and bobbing for forest fruits. After everyone had their fun with all the games that the party had to offer, and with the sun finally beginning to set, they all decided to take the tables and join them all together end-to-end to form one long table.

Then, they pulled up some chairs and sat on either side of the long table. Link sat at the middle of the table, with the twins sitting on either side of him. Saria sat directly across from him where she could always look upon his beaming face. Kalo sat to her left, while Fado sat to her right. Mido, however, took a much larger chair with a higher and more ornate back and sat at the head of the long table.

"He just had to appoint himself as _'Head of the Table'_, huh?" Link commented as he facepalmed.

"Well, he is the self-appointed _'Boss of the Kokiri'_, and he loves to show it," said Saria, "It's Mido, after all. Would you expect any less from him?"

Words weren't needed to answer that question as Link remained silent. With everyone seated, Saria motioned to Mido, who then stood from his chair. "Alright everyone, chow time!" he cheered.

When he did, everyone took a serving platter and removed the covers, revealing many different kinds of food. Along with the usual Kokiri courses of breads, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and the occasional rabbit stood many foods exotic to the Kokiri. Different kinds of meats stood in their meat platters, as well as a couple of large pasta dishes and a number of different servings of vegetables, soups, stews, and casseroles. The Kokiri sat motionless, mesmerized by the many different foods that none of them had ever seen before.

Link looked equally amazed, despite having seen many of these foods before during his travels. "Wha... wha..." he stuttered.

Saria finally snapped out of her stupor after hearing Link's reaction. "Does this all look familiar?" she asked him with a smirk.

"Well... yeah, but..." Link replied, "... I'm just... amazed... how did you get all this food? You don't find stuff like this in Kokiri Forest."

"Yeah, Saria, how did you find all this neat stuff?" Mido added, "They look really delicious."

"Well... I sent some letters out all over Hyrule while you were out visiting the ranch yesterday," Saria explained, "And everything came in this morning and this afternoon while you were out."

"Brilliant," Link commented.

"A chef from a place called Kakariko Village sent us a few dishes. One of Princess Zelda's personal chefs came over and prepared many of the main courses. Princess Ruto sent us different kinds of fish for us to eat. Oh, and she wants you to go visit her as soon as possible since you're home now. She left you a letter too. The Gorons, however, only sent us a bunch of stupid rocks," Saria continued, clinching her fists at her last sentence, "I can't believe it. I ask them for a few of their recipes and they just had to be funny and send us a bunch of rocks."

Link burst out laughing at Saria's misfortune and her comments. But Saria only glared at him, "And what's so funny, mister?"

"Oh, they weren't being funny, Saria. The Gorons actually eat different kinds of rocks," Link explained, "They really don't have much of a menu."

"Oh," said Saria, looking sheepish as she realized her fault, "I see now. I'm sorry."

"You really sent letters all over Hyrule to get all this food?" said Link, amazed ad what Saria had accomplished.

"Uh-huh," Saria replied, "Since you've traveled all around Hyrule and even beyond for so long, I thought I'd bring some of those foods to this party."

"I... I don't know what to say," Link stammered.

Saria smiled at Link's loss for words. "Nothing, silly. Just eat up," she replied, and then turned to everyone, "Eat up, everyone."

And no sooner than she had sad so did all the other Kokiri grab a platter and start filling their plates. They all spent the next ten minutes filling their plates with all the different kinds of familiar and exotic foods and passing the platters down. Once each Kokiri had what they wanted, they dove into their meals.

Link, Saria, Mido, and all the Kokiri sampled the many exotic foods from all over Hyrule. The various meats, fruits, and vegetables appealed greatly to them all, and they ate up like each dish was candy.

"This stewed rabbit is really good," Fado commented, "I never knew you could stew a rabbit quite like this."

"You'd be surprised what kinds of soups and stews that you can make with meats," said Link.

"And this fish is just delicious," said Saria, "I don't think that even the ponds and lakes in the lost Woods have fish this great."

"If you think that fish is good, the fish found in the great big ocean is to die for," Link commented, "But, even that fish gets to be ordinary after a while, a little routine. So you get to crave the food back home again."

"So despite all the great food you've had over the years, you still love Hyrule's great food? And even our great food here in Kokiri Forest?" Saria wondered.

"Of course," Link replied, "Even the breads, nuts, fruits, berries, and occasional meats of Kokiri Forest always hit the spot. It always reminds you that you truly are home."

Saria smiled at Link, "Well, I figured that you'd want all this great food from Hyrule once again. That's why I sent for so many different kinds of food. Plus, everyone else can enjoy some of what you've seen and eaten too."

"You really are something, you know?" Link commended.

"Hey, it's your birthday. We had to do something special for you," said Saria.

"You can call it special for us too, Saria," Fado added, "We all love all this delicious food."

"Yeah!" the rest of the Kokiri agreed.

With dusk falling upon the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, the light from the decorative lanterns on the table began to give a very warm glow, enhancing the already relaxing mood of the party. After everyone had finished eating, Saria stood up from her chair, "Hey Kalo, Fado, can you two come with me?"

Fado and Kalo both stood from their chairs. "Sure, Saria. Is it what I think it is?" Fado eagerly asked.

"You betcha," Saria replied with a smirk.

"Wait, where are you going?" Link wondered.

"It's a surprise," Saria replied, giving him a wink.

"Hey, tonight's been full of surprised. Tell me," Link begged and pleaded.

"Uh-uh. You'll just have to wait and see," said Saria, wagging her index finger side to side with each word as emphasis, before winking at him again.

"Humph. Alright," Link pouted as the three walked off. He and the others all sat silently and patiently, awaiting whatever surprise Saria had for Link. Moments later, the twins turned to Link.

"You're going to like what we did for you, Link," said one twin.

"Yeah, we worked hard on it all day," said the other twin.

Link tried, but the twins talking about their hard work pushed him to the brink and he couldn't take the suspense anymore. "Oh, I'm just dying to know what it is. Please tell me," he begged.

Both twins turned their noses up, crossed their arms, and shook their heads in response.

"Come on," Link pleaded.

"Uh-uh. You heard Saria," said one twin.

"It's a surprise," said the other twin.

"Humph. You're no fun," Link complained as he rested his elbows on the table and his chin in his hands.

Soon, Saria, Fado, and Kalo returned, carrying a large white cake. It was a large, round, two-tiered angel food cake with white icing, well decorated with blue, green, and yellow icing designs. On the top tier sat 13 green and yellow candles. And the words _"Happy Birthday Link"_ and _"And Welcome Home"_ were scripted in red icing and in Hylian on the bottom tier.

"Wow, that has got to be the biggest cake I've ever seen," Link observed, completely amazed at not only the size of the cake, but also the fact that his friends at Kokiri Forest made it. And why wouldn't he be amazed? It took those 3 kids to carry that big cake safely to the table. After they placed the big and heavy cake on the table, the twins turned to Link and both asked him, "Well, what do you think?"

Link sat there breathless, admiring the cake that was so well-made and well-decorated, that it looked like it was made by Princess Zelda's best bakers. After a moment of silent awe, Link finally stammered, "I-I-It's a-amazing... just... amazing. You all really made this cake?"

"Yes we did," one twin proudly replied.

"Well, not all of us. Some of the others still had to set up for the party," the other twin added.

"Saria was working so hard on this cake," said Fado.

"And she had us working really hard on it too," a Kokiri girl added.

"She wanted this cake to be perfect, just like in the pictures," Kalo added.

"Hey, I wanted it to be perfect too," said Fado, sticking her tongue out at Kalo.

"Me too," both twins agreed in unison.

"And we weren't going to let the Princess's chef help us with this cake," said Kalo, ignoring Fado's raspberries.

Saria took out her fairy ocarina and tooted a few notes on it to get everyone's attention. "Well, everyone, the candles are all lit. Let's sing," said Saria as she began to play a couple measures to a familiar Kokiri birthday song. After those couple measures, all the Kokiri sang their song to Link as Saria played it on her fairy ocarina. After finishing the song, they sang it to him again, this time with Saria joining in.

After the song was over, Saria spoke up, "Now Link, close your eyes, make a wish, and blow out those candles."

Link closed his eyes and thought hard about his wish. After seeing a lot of amazing things, going to so many places, and meeting so many people on his recent adventures, making a wish proved difficult for him.

"It can be any wish you want," Saria said in a more soothing voice, "It can be big, it can be small."

"But don't tell us, or your wish won't come true," said Fado.

Link thought long and hard. And after finally finding his wish, he blew out all 13 candles, and all the Kokiri applauded.

"So who gets the first slice?" Kalo asked.

"Well... I think Saria should get the first slice," Link replied, "She's my best friend in all of Hyrule, no... the world. And she must've worked so hard with everybody to make this party happen. So, Saria gets the first slice."

"It's a very wise choice, Link," said the Great Deku Sprout, "Thou really treasure thy friendship with all thy friends, especially the one who hast known thee the longest. And thou always find a way to express it, no matter how big or how small. It is but one reason the children of Kokiri Forest miss thee, even Mido."

"Now stop, Great Deku Sprout. You're embarrassing me," said Mido, trying to hide his bashfulness.

"Thank you, Link," said Saria as Fado cut the first slice of cake and handed it to her.

"You're welcome, Saria," said Link as he smiled at the green-haired girl, "You deserve it."

Then, Fado continued cutting the cake and passing the slices down both sides of the table. Once everyone had a slice of cake, they all dug in.

Spryte sat on Saria's right shoulder, right next to her ear, as she ate. "I think he knows that this party was your idea," she whispered, "I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you and when he smiles."

"It's okay. I was sure he'd find out sooner or later," Saria whispered back, "That is, if he really knows. I just wanted to show him how much everyone in the forest missed him, and this party was perfect."

"You never cease to amaze me, my dear, even after all these years," Spryte whispered.

After everyone had finished their cake, Saria stood up. "So Link, now that we've played games, had a big feast, and ate a wonderful cake, there's one thing left to do," said Saria as she took her fairy ocarina out, "I assume you brought your fairy ocarina."

"You bet I did," Link replied as he took out his own fairy ocarina, his cherished gift from Saria, "What songs are we gonna dance to?"

"Oh, I don't know," Saria replied as she thought about it, "How about some oldies but goldies... and maybe a few more of those new songs you learned on your adventures."

"That sounds great," Link replied as he stood up from his chair.

And so all the Kokiri stood from their chairs and walked out to the open area away from the tables. It was an area that Saria and the others had designated as their dance floor. With twilight falling upon all of Kokiri Forest, the many torches lining the outer boundaries of both the meadow and the dance floor provided a very warm illumination.

As Link and Saria made their way to the dance floor, the others took off and ran to the dance floor, easily beating Link and Saria there. Once everyone had assembled on the dance floor, waiting anxiously, the two ocarina players placed their instruments to their lips.

Saria started first by playing the first few measures to "Saria's Song", a song familiar to all in Kokiri Forest. And as she played, everyone began to dance an energetic jig to Saria's hot beat. After a few measures, Link stood next to his best friend and joined her on his own ocarina, creating a festively vibrant duet.

After "Saria's Song", Link began to play the upbeat song from Clock Town. Soon, Saria joined in as the other Kokiri clapped and danced to the rhythm of the song. And throughout the twilit evening, they all danced to all the old and new tunes as they celebrated the return of their friend.

.

_That night..._

After playing many songs, both old and new, at the party, Link laid back in the grass in front of his house, resting his hands behind his head. There, he gazed up through the trees at the stars. Although he loved the unobstructed view of the sky from the soft grassy knoll in the large open field near the village entrance, something about the broken light of the sun or moon always mesmerized him. And after spending much of the day traversing Hyrule Field and visiting Princess Zelda at the castle, and after coming home to a wonderful surprise birthday/welcome home party, Link found the view of the trees and sky both warming and relaxing. And it was there that he reflected on the wonderful party.

"Hi Link," Saria's cheerful voice greeted.

"Hi Saria," Link replied as he pulled his hands from behind his head and pushed himself up to a sitting position. When he did, Saria sat down right next to him and gazed up at the sky through the trees with him. "Great party, huh Link?" she said.

"Yep," Link replied, his eyes not drifting from the sky," It was really a brilliant party, like a mini-festival of sorts."

"Well, it was a very special day for you," Saria explained, "You're growing up. So you're only going to have so many birthdays."

"That's true," said Link as he looked back down from the sky, glancing at the grass in front of him, "But, even you are growing up now. So you too are only going to have so many birthdays."

"Yeah, you're right," said Saria, "But, not only was it your birthday, you also came home after being away for so long. So he had to make it a big party."

Link hunched over a little, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his palms. There, he once again reflected on about the party and the effort that must've gone into it. He thought about all the wonderful foods and even the great cake that he had never seen before, not even outside of Kokiri Forest. Link let out a contented sigh at those thoughts, "You know, Saria? You really are something."

"Huh?" said Saria as she did a double take, with Link's comment taking her by complete surprise.

Link looked back up and turned his head to Saria, meeting her beautiful blue eyes with his own. "This party was your idea, wasn't it?" said Link, smiling at her.

"See? I told you he knew," Spryte commented.

"You really think so, huh?" said Saria, smirking at Link as she stood up and slowly walked around behind him in a more carefree manner.

"Yeah, I know so. Only you would've known about all the foods of Hyrule with all those books you read," Link explained, "Only you have ever sent any letters outside the forest as far as I know. And most of all, you seemed to be the one in charge of all the festivities.

"He's got you there, my dear," said Spryte.

Saria spun around on her heels and sat down on her knees behind Link. Then, she rested her hands and forearms on his back and laid her cheek on the back of his shoulders. "Well... that's because you're my very special friend," she said, "I wanted to show you just how much everyone missed you and how much you mean to everyone in the forest. But, it also couldn't have happened without everyone's help. It may have been my idea at first, but **everyone** wanted to give you the best party."

"Even Mido?" Link asked.

Saria giggled, "Yes... even Mido."

Link let out another sigh, "You really are a very special friend, Saria. You and everyone must've gone through so much to make it happen. You even had Navi keep me away so that everyone could set it up... that was pretty cunning of you, not to mention very sweet of you."

"Oh stop, Link," Saria bashfully said as her cheeks became flushed.

"No, really. No one's ever done anything like this for me before. It was really sweet and selfless of you," Link emphasized.

"Well..." Saria began as she let her hands trail slowly down Link's back, and then gently back up, "You really deserve it."

Link closed his eyes as Saria slowly rubbed her hands up and down his back. She then pressed slightly with the heels of her palms, meeting a lot of resistance as she did so. "Link, you're back's pretty tense," she commented.

"Yeah, it sure feels that way," Link agreed, "After two years of traveling distant lands and fighting all kinds of evil, and then going out yesterday and today, I'm sure it's pretty tense."

"You must've put your body through all kinds of abuse," said Saria as she began to press her palms and fingers into Link's back. She slowly and gently rubbed and massaged up and down his back, doing her best to work out all the knots and kinks.

"Mmhmm," Link replied, letting Saria work her magic, "Fighting evil sure puts a lot of strain on the body. Recovery hearts, red and blue potions, and even fairies can only do so much to heal the body."

"Hey, I resent that remark," Navi scolded.

Saria giggled at Navi as she continued to slowly massage the tense knots out of Link's back with her palms and fingers.

Link loosened up and sat up straight as Saria's massaging became more gentle and sensual. And as she slowly brushed her fingertips down his back, Link began to fall into a trance, letting his mind melt into the feel of Saria's hands and fingers rubbing and brushing his back. "Mmm... this feels good," Link softly said.

"You've never gotten a backrub from anyone before, have you?" Saria softly asked.

Link looked back up from his trance as he explained, "Well, I have only once, in Holodrum. The town had an old lady who would give anyone a back rub to help them feel better. But..." Link hesitated as the rather pleasurable feeling of Saria rubbing his back grabbed a hold of him once again.

"But what?" Saria asked as she slowly slid her hands up his back and then slowly dragged her fingertips back down.

"It's so relaxing... coming from you," Link replied in a low voice, "Your hands feel so much better than that old lady's."

Saria giggled as she continued to slowly rub and caress Link's back, "Well, it's probably 'cause you're getting a backrub from a friend and not some strange old lady."

"Mmhmm," Link replied as he began to completely drift off under the spell of Saria's gentle touch. His body completely relaxed itself as his best friend had massaged all the kinks out of his back. But it wasn't just that, her gentle touch was putting him at so much ease and that he ended up letting fatigue catch up to him. "Stop it, Saria. You're gonna make me fall asleep if you keep this up," he teased as Saria brushed his back with her fingertips.

"You're tired, aren't you?" she softly asked, letting her hands continue to gently rub and caress his back, despite Link's teasing.

"Mmhmm," Link grunted.

"You've had such a long day, spending all day outside the forest and then coming home to this party," said Saria. She then took her fingernails and started scratching Link's back to break him from his trance.

Link began to squirm a little as the pleasurable feeling quickly became a more stimulating tingling feeling. Once broken from his trance, Link stood up, with Saria standing up immediately after.

"Does your back feel better now?" Saria asked.

"Oh yeah it does, much better now," Link replied.

"Well then, you'd better go to bed if you're tired," suggested Saria.

"If you don't want me waking you up because you like to sleep in," Navi added.

"Oh stop it, Navi," Link playfully scolded, "I've been good the last couple days."

Saria giggled at the two, arguing more like a pair of siblings than anything else. Link then turned back to her, "That was the best party I've ever had, way better than any in the whole world."

He then wrapped his arms around Saria's waist and pulled her very close to him in a tight embrace. In return, Saria threw her arms around his shoulders and tightened their embrace even more.

"Thank you, Saria," said Link, punctuating his gratitude by squeezing her affectionately, "Thank you so much for tonight. It's the best night I've ever had. It feels so good to be back home again."

"You're very welcome, Link," said Saria, barely above a whisper. And they held each other in that tight embrace for what seemed like hours, letting their minds melt into the feel of their bodies that close together. But it wasn't just the warm feel of their embrace that kept them together, but also fatigue washing over them. It wasn't until Navi spoke up when they finally let each other go.

"Alright, before you two get any more cozy, don't you think we should be getting back inside?" said Navi.

"It's late at night, Saria. We need to be getting back to your house and into bed," said Spryte.

"Oh okay," both children moaned together, showing their guardian fairies just how tired they were becoming. Then, they turned back to each other. "Good night, Link," said Saria, showing her prettiest smile, "Happy Birthday."

"Good night, Saria," said Link, smiling back at her.

"Pleasant dreams," she said as she turned and began to walk toward her house.

"You too, Saria," said Link as he made his way toward his tree house to join the world in slumber.

"They really are growing up, aren't they?" Navi commented as she watched Link climb up his ladder and disappear into his tree house.

"Yes they are, showing this much kindness toward each other," said Spryte as she watched Saria walk toward her house, "I can tell they missed each other a lot, Saria especially."

"And Link too," Navi added.

"But, they are best friends, you know. They're usually very kind to one another. And though kindness comes second-nature to Saria, she's always been particularly kind to Link," said Spryte.

"It's because Link's different from the other Kokiri," said Navi, "She showed kindness to him when others like Mido showed only spite. And he too is very kind and extraordinarily thoughtful of others. He even spent two years away from his best friend, and painstakingly so, just to look for me. I can see how Link and Saria became the best of friends. They really do share a special bond."

"And with Link back home after being away for so long, and they two of them growing up together, I'm sure they'll rekindle their bonds in many more special ways," said Spryte.

"I think they already are," Navi commented.

"Yeah, perhaps," Spryte agreed, "Our dears are still children, and in many ways are still so innocent. But, they are growing up now, and are both becoming mature beyond their apparent ages. One day, our dears... one day."

"That day may be coming sooner than we think," said Navi.

"Perhaps. We'll see," said Spryte, "Good night, Navi."

"Good night, Spryte," said Navi.

And the two fairies separated and rejoined their children as they both entered the dreaming world.

_end of chapter 4  
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Nice party, huh? And there was even plenty of good Link and Saria squishiness to boot. Believe it or not, I actually had to split this chapter up. I had written so much just for the surprise party alone that I feel the chapter would've been **too** long. I already have a little bit of what I split from Chapter 4 written, so I'll just keep going. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	6. Chapter 5: My Hero

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 5

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. I actually wrote this chapter pretty fast for being as long as it is. However, internet problems kept me from posting this chapter earlier. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 5: My Hero

"Hey Link, it's time to wake up," a girl's voice called up to Link's tree house.

Link, however, didn't hear the girl's summons and remained completely motionless in the world of slumber.

"Link, are you awake yet? Come on, it's morning. Wake up, sleepyhead," the girl called up again.

That time, Navi stirred in her miniature bed that sat on an end table next to the head of Link's bed. And as she stirred, she opened her little eyes and her body began to glow the fairy's usual light blue. "Now who could be calling up here to wake Link up?" she said to herself, feeling rather groggy from the reveille.

"Come on, Link, are you going to sleep all morning?" the girl called up again.

"Oh, it's just Saria," Navi said to herself as she sat up in her bed. She slowly rubbed the sleep out of her tiny eyes and then stretched her little arms up high. After finally waking up and shaking off the grogginess, she gave a couple good flaps of her wings and pushed herself out of bed. Once she began hovering, she looked over at Link to find him completely dead to the world.

"Oh Link, you're such a heavy sleeper if Saria's voice can't even wake you up," she said in a soft voice. She then floated over to the window by Link's bed and took a peek outside. Although the sky looked very clear through the trees, it also looked to be a slightly darker shade of blue. Thus, dawn had just risen over Kokiri Forest. 'Oh, the sun's coming up. Time to wake link up,' she thought to herself.

So she floated back down to Link's bed and flew up to his face. "Hello, Link. Rise and shine. It's time to get up," she sounded.

With Saria's summons having failed, Navi's voice caused Link to stir a bit under his sheets. But before long, he once again fell motionless. He may have budged, but Navi's reveille also failed to wake him.

Navi lowered her eyebrows and floated closer to Link's face. "Link, the sun's coming up and Saria was calling for you. Let's get cracking already," she said.

Link stirred even more as the sound of Navi's voice pierced its way into whatever dream he was having. Once her voice had successfully invaded his slumber, he rolled over under his sheets, facing away from his fairy's wakeup call.

By then, Navi started getting frustrated at Link's absolute refusal to awaken. She huffed and floated back to the window where Link was facing and turned to face the sleeping boy. "Come on, Link, get up," she barked.

"It's too early," Link moaned, "The cucco hasn't even crowed yet." And right as he verbally refused to wake up, Link drifted back to sleep.

Navi let out a discontented sigh at her failure to awaken the sleeping boy. 'Yeah, I guess he's right,' she thought to herself, 'The cucco sure is late waking up. But after such a long day yesterday, and after such a wonderful party, I guess I can let him sleep in a little longer.'

Her thoughts suddenly broke as the faint sound of somewhat heavy footsteps on Link's ladder sounded through his tree house. Navi floated upward a bit and gazed toward Link's door. When the footsteps stopped, a head of green hair held by a dark green headband poked through Link's door curtain. Navi let out a sigh of relief when Saria showed her face inside.

"Link, are you awake?" Saria whispered. She glanced right over at Link's bed, finding him fast asleep and looking away from her, with Navi looking right at her from over his bed. Just as Navi was about to speak up, Saria placed her pointer finger over her lips. "Shhh... watch this," she whispered, wearing a mischievous grin.

'Now I wonder what that girl's up to,' Navi thought to herself. But just as quickly as she had wondered, Saria slipped inside and hauled in a large burlap sack. 'Oh, I wonder what she's got in there,' Navi asked herself, noting how full the sack appeared.

Once inside, Saria hefted the amazingly light sack over her shoulder, despite its size. Then, she slowly tip-toed over to Link's bed, being ever so careful as to not make a single peep. She silently snickered to Navi, trying her hardest to remain silent. Once she stopped at Link's bedside, she looked at Navi, who cautiously floated aside. "Oh Link?" she kindly greeted, hiding her ulterior motive well.

"No," Link groaned, barely audible, "I wanna sleep some more."

Saria then turned to Navi and gave a beaming Cheshire Cat grin. She then turned back to Link, grasped the bottom of the sack, and held it over head, dumping a ton of dead leaves on his head. "Wake up, Link," she said, emptying the sack all over Link's face and bed, effectively burying him.

"What the..." Link suddenly snapped as the edges of the leaves tickled his face, "What is this?!"

Saria giggled and stepped back as Link thrashed about in his bed, trying desperately to throw the leaves off of him. She even heard a few _"patooies"_ as a few leaves brushed his lips. After a brief moment of ridiculous thrashing, Link sat up, throwing most of the leaves off of him. He turned his head to find Saria standing in the middle of his floor with a burlap sack in her hand an innocent-looking grin on her face. "Oh I'm gonna get you for that, you little brat," Link scolded rather insincerely as he threw his sheets, and thus the rest of the leaves, off of him.

Saria, however, drooped her bottom eyelid and stuck her tongue out at him, letting out a taunting _"meh"_. She then spun around and took off for his door, giggling mischievously as she disappeared outside.

Link threw his legs over to the floor, jumped out of bed, and took off running for his door after her.

"Link, wait!" Navi shouted, stopping him dead in his tracks before he could even touch his door curtain. Link looked over his shoulder to see the blue aura of his guardian fairy hovering over his messy bed, wide-awake. "You're not going outside liking like that, are you?" she said.

Link looked down and around at himself, finding himself wearing only a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pajama pants. "Yeah, you're right. I need to change," he said as he turned and quickly ran to his wardrobe.

He quickly grabbed his green pointed hat, green tunic, and white tights, and slammed his wardrobe shut. Then, he caught a glimpse of Navi staring at him with her mouth hanging open. "Do you mind, Navi?" said Link.

"Oh, sorry Link," Navi replied as she politely turned around to let Link get dressed, "It's just that I haven't seen you move so fast this early in the morning."

"Yeah, you can blame Saria for that," said Link as he stripped his pajama pants off and pulled on his tights.

"Oh Link, where are you? Come and get me," Saria taunted from outside.

Link sped up at the sound of her taunts as he grabbed his tunic and quickly threw it on. "Okay, you can look now," said Link as he put his hat on.

"Come on, slowpoke, I'm waiting," Saria taunted.

Link grabbed his belt, which had his fairy ocarina in its bag hanging from it, and quickly strapped it on. And then finally, he slid into his boots. "Come on, Navi," Link commended as he bolted out his door.

"Eek!" Saria playfully shrieked as Link emerged from his tree house. She quickly turned around and dashed off toward the hill leading to the Lost Woods.

Link swiftly slid down his ladder and gave chase, running as fast as he could after the mischievous green-haired girl. Navi stayed right behind him, with her powerful wings working hard to keep up.

Saria disappeared into the Lost Woods just as Link climbed the vines up the hill's cliff to continue the chase. "Link, she just ran into the List Woods," Navi warned, "Are you sure you want to follow her in there? You didn't even bring your sword."

"Hey, if Saria's not afraid to go in there unarmed, then neither am I," Link replied as he continued running toward the Lost Woods, "Besides, Saria's been doing it for years. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"I sure hope so," said Navi as they entered the Lost Woods. However, they saw no sign of Saria inside.

"Great! Now where did she go?" Link wondered.

"I don't know, but she got you pretty good, sneaking into your room and dumping a bag of leaves all over you," said Navi, "I thought it was pretty funny."

Link glared over his shoulder at his guardian fairy, "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

"Uh-uh, not a thing, honest," Navi replied.

"Whatever. Either way, I'm starting to think she had me chase her out here on purpose," said Link as he ventured deeper into the woods to search for Saria.

"I wonder what for?" said Navi.

"Well, it'll be hard to find her, and there are many ways here that she could've gone. I think she might be playing a little hide-and-seek," said Link.

"Well, we better find her and quickly," said Navi.

"Right," Link replied as he ran through the Lost Woods, "She couldn't have gone very far. We just got here and she wasn't that far ahead of us. So we'll find her.

So Link continued running through the Lost Woods, taking many twists and turns around trees and through the passageways. However, as much of the woods as he had covered in such a short amount of time, he found no sign of Saria anywhere.

"Link, look," said Navi, getting his attention. He turned toward the direction of Navi's voice and found her hovering very close to the ground. "Look down here," she said, pointing to a spot right beneath her.

Link walked over to Navi and kneeled down to examine the spot where she was pointing. There, he found a depression in the grass matching that of a Kokiri boot. "Hey, a footprint," he observed.

"And fresh too," Navi added.

"Are you sure it's not mine and I was walking around in circles?" said Link.

"Well, stand next to it and find out, silly," said Navi. So Link stood up and placed his left foot next to the footprint. Just as he did, Navi explained, "Your foot **used** to be that small, but now you've grown. So that footprint is too small to be yours. That footprint is Saria's."

"Yeah, you're right," said Link, "Let's see if she left any more footprints and follow them."

"That's the way to think on your own," Navi praised as she flew along the ground, following the direction of Saria's footprint as Link followed close behind. "Here, another one," said Navi as she followed it and found more, "And here, and here."

"Great, let's follow her," said Link as they raced ahead, following Saria's tracks all through the forest labyrinth.

Soon, Link spied something through the trees in the distance. "Navi, stop," he commanded, "Look at that bush straight ahead."

Navi floated upward and glanced straight ahead. There, she found green hair barely peeking over the top of a large bush. "There she is. Good eye, Link," she praised. But when she turned back to Link, she found him to be walking through some trees in a completely different direction. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked, then pointed in Saria's direction, "Saria's over there."

"I know," Link replied in a low voice, just loud enough for Navi to hear him, "I'm gonna sneak up on her."

"Oh, do you **have** to be so dramatic with catching her?" said Navi as she floated over to Link.

"You betcha," Link replied with a wink. So he quietly crept around the bushes and trees, keeping his eyes on the green hair as it looked around. Then, Saria's face peeked over the bush. Link quickly hid behind a tree as Saria scanned the woods all around her. When she hid again, Link emerged from his hiding place and continued to circle around Saria's hiding place, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't see him.

Soon, he arrived at a bush that sat very close to Saria. He hid behind it and peeked right through the leaves and branches, finding Saria kneeling down next to the bush with her back to him. Seeing his opportunity, he emerged from behind the bush and silently tip-toed up to her. When he closed the distance to no more than ten steps, he announced his presence, "Found you!"

Saria let out a quick shriek as she jumped back up to her feet and took off. But Link was way too close to her as he took off after her like a cheetah chasing its prey. And in no time at all, he pounced on her, tackling her to the ground.

Saria turned over on her back and tried to wiggle away. But, her attempt at escape proved futile as Link pinned her down under his larger masculine frame. Then, Link began to tickle Saria mercilessly, prompting a few loud shrieks and giggles from her.

"Stop, Link. That tickles," Saria shrieked, laughing and squirming uncontrollably as Link continued his relentless assault on her sensitive sides and belly. "Okay, okay, I give. Let me up," she surrendered.

Link stopped and held an open hand out to Saria, to which she gladly took a hold of. Link let himself off of Saria and helped her to her feet. When she stood up, she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, "Alright, you got me pretty good."

"Uh-huh, that was for throwing those leaves on me," Link replied as he hugged his best friend back.

"Well, I just wanted to tease you a bit," Saria explained, "I called up to you, but you were still asleep. So I thought I'd say _'Good Morning'_ in a really interesting sort of way."

"Yeah, I have to admit you got me pretty good," Link commended, "But I got you back. So we're even now."

Saria let go of Link and looked into his blue eyes, and then smiled at him, "Well, not quite even. We're not done yet."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Link wondered, looking into the smiling girl's beautiful blue eyes.

Saria giggled, "Silly. This is hide-and-seek, and it's my turn now. I'm gonna count to twenty, and then come looking for you."

"Alright, good luck," said Link as he and Navi turned around and ran off. Saria walked back over to the bush where she was hiding. Then, she kneeled down, covered her eyes with her hands, and started counting.

As Saria counted, Link sprinted as fast as could with Navi following close behind. As he ran through the woods, he searched for a suitable hiding place amongst all the trees, shrubs, tall grass, and hollow logs. After a minute of running as far from Saria as possible, Navi spoke up, "Hey Link, I think it's time to hide now. I'm sure that Saria finished counting a while ago and is looking for you right now."

"Okay," Link replied as he stopped and look all around him, "So, where to hide." He looked at the few shrubs that sat next to a passageway and some of the trees. He pondered the tall grass that had grown around another passageway. He even thought about the nearby rabbit hole leading to a grotto. But then when he looked up in the trees, the solution struck him like lightning. "Yes, this tree is perfect. And it looks easy enough to climb without my Longshot," Link explained.

So he ran up to a rougher-looking tree covered in old and hard moss and grabbed a hold of it. Then, he pulled himself off the ground and began climbing it as if the tree itself was a ladder. And in no time at all, Link reached the large lower branch and pulled himself up onto it. He leaned back against the trunk and relaxed, gazing about the woods. "Hey Navi, the view from up here is great," he said.

Navi floated up to the branch where Link sat and took a look about for herself. From about 20 meters up, she had a near-perfect view of the forest below, and even into the lower branches of some of the other trees. "Yeah, it's really nice up here. You should climb some of these trees more often," she commented, "But, you really can't see very far into the forest. The Lost Woods is still a pretty thick forest, after all."

"Yeah, you're right," Link agreed, "So now we sit and wait for Saria." Navi sat on Link's shoulder and enjoyed the unique view of the forest with him.

Just as they relaxed on the branch, the faint sound of a rooster's crow echoed about the Lost Woods. "Sounds like the cucco finally woke up," said Link.

"Yeah, he sure was late this morning," Navi commented. "I would've let you sleep in a little more because you had such a long day yesterday, but Saria wanted to play her little prank on you."

"Thanks, Navi. It was really sweet of you, even though you did let her dump all those leaves on me," said Link with a smirk.

After about a half-hour of sitting, sharing a little small talk, and enjoying the view, Link and Navi neither saw nor heard any signs of Saria. "Saria sure is taking a long time to find me," said Link.

"Well, you would've taken a while to find her too if I hadn't spotted her tracks," said Navi, "And she waited a bit for us too."

"True, but not this long," said Link.

Navi opened her mouth to respond, but then hesitated, knowing that Link was right, "You got a point there. I guess you hid pretty well from her, huh?"

"Yeah," Link agreed, feeling a little reluctant, "Perhaps I hid a little too well. I'm just glad I decided not to hide in that grotto down there, or else she never would've found me. I think I'd better help her out a little." So he pulled out his fairy ocarina and placed it to his lips.

"You're going to lead her right to you if you play that ocarina," said Navi, trying to dissuade him from playing.

"I know. That's sort of the idea," Link replied, "I've waited long enough for her." Then, he closed his eyes, placed the ocarina to his lips, and began playing _"Saria's Song"_.

..

Meanwhile, Saria slowly walked through the Lost Woods. As she did, she glanced all around her, looking for any signs of Link's green tunic and hat, whit undershirt, or white tights. She even stopped a number of times and listened for any sounds of movement, in case Link had seen her and tried to move around or away from her. But every time she listened, she only heard the spirits of the forest singing, and they weren't going to tell her where Link was hiding.

Suddenly, a whole new song filled the woods all around her. She stopped and listened to the new song, and then closed her eyes as its melody resonated in her mind. After only a couple measures, she recognized it as none other than her own song. And as she listened, a sense of warmth filled her body and soul. "Mmm... I've always loved how warm this song makes me feel, whether I'm playing it or someone else is," he softly commented.

"Saria, that's a fairy ocarina," said Spryte, "Link must be playing that song."

Saria listened for a few more measures, focusing solely on the sound of the notes rather than the song itself, "You're right, that **is** an ocarina," she said as her eyes sparked wide open.

"He's leading us to him, the silly boy. Let's follow him," suggested Spryte.

"Right," Saria replied as she hiked through the thick brush and into the passageway, letting the song of the ocarina guide her. Having explored the Lost Woods on many occasions over the past couple years, Saria felt much more comfortable navigating parts of the Lost Woods outside the path to the Sacred Forest Meadow, more so than even Link.

As she navigated the forest labyrinth, she heard the ocarina music slowly getting louder and louder. She knew she was on the right track, so she picked up the pace. 'I can't believe I'm taking so long to find Link,' she thought to herself as she began jogging, 'I know these woods best, yet I still needed Link's help with finding him. He must've ran very far and picked a good spot to hide if I couldn't find him.'

As Saria emerged from another passageway, a completely different sound suddenly caught her attention. "What was that?" she said to Spryte, barely above a whisper, as they stopped and listened for the strange sound.

"I don't hear anything except the spirits and Link's ocarina," said Spryte.

"No, I heard something else, like some kind of low growl or something like that," Saria explained. So she and Spryte stayed motionless and silent as they continued to listen for the strange sound.

After a moment of listening, and hearing nothing but Link's ocarina and the usual forest sounds, Saria slowly and cautiously continued her way through the woods and on the path toward Link. But just as she had passed by a few trees, the strange sound returned, and much louder this time.

"There it is again," said Saria as she abruptly stopped.

"I hear it too," said Spryte, "What is that?"

Suddenly, the low-pitched growl grew louder and louder. Saria began to feel a chill creep up her spine as the goose bumps tingled up and down her arms and legs. "Something doesn't feel right. Let's get out of here," she said as her heart began to race.

But just as she turned to go around the perceived threat, Spryte suddenly shrieked, "Saria, watch out!!!"

Saria quickly turned around, finding herself staring straight into the bright yellow eyes of a large Wolfos standing next to a nearby shrub. As her eyes locked onto those of the wolf-like creature's, it growled at her and bared its fangs. Then, it let out a quick howl.

Saria let out a deafening scream as she turned as she turned around and took off, with her pounding heart fueling a massive adrenaline rush. She ran as fast as she could, twisting and turning around every tree and shrub as she tried to put as many obstacles between her and the Wolfos as possible.

She found another passageway and ran straight for it. But just as she entered the Wolfos jumped down from a ledge at the other end, cutting her off. Saria's eyes sparked wide open as she screeched to a halt. She then let out another terrified scream as she turned around and took off the other way, "Link, heeeelp!"

..

Meanwhile, Link still sat on the high-up lower branch of the moss-covered tree. There, he continued playing _"Saria's Song"_ on his fairy ocarina, expecting his best friend to show up at any moment. Suddenly, the sound of an awful scream grabbed his attention like a clap of thunder. He stopped playing and swiftly sat up, with Navi jumping off of his shoulder as they listened.

"Link, heeeelp!" the sound of a girl's screams echoed through the woods.

"It's Saria," said Link as he quickly put his ocarina away.

"And it sounds like she's in trouble," Navi added.

So Link grabbed onto the rough bark and moss of the tree and climbed down as quickly as he could. Once at a safe enough height, he dropped to the ground and took off running in the direction of Saria's screams. Navi followed close behind, guiding Link through the woods as she listened for Saria.

Link's heart raced as they navigated through the woods, fearing for his best friend's safety. And as they dashed through the Lost Woods, they heard Saria scream again, letting them know not only where she was, but also how much closer they were getting. However, they also heard a howling sound coming from the same direction.

"Link, that sounds like a Wolfos," said Navi.

"Oh no, Saria," Link said as his heart skipped a beat, with the thoughts of a Wolfos hurting Saria racing through his mind. He quickly reached behind him for his sword, only to grab nothing but air. "Oh no, I don't have my sword," Link lamented, "And I didn't even bring my item bag neither."

"I warned you about coming to the Lost Woods without your sword," said Navi.

"I know, I know. Let's just save Saria," said Link as he continued running in Saria's direction. As he approached a passageway, he spied something in the tall brush nearby. So he and Navi quickly investigated. "Great, a Deku stick," said Link as he reached down and snatched the makeshift weapon in his left hand.

"And Deku nuts too," Navi added as she floated up to Link and dropped a couple of Deku nuts in his right hand.

"Great, let's go," said Link as they took off again.

..

Having been cut off at another passageway, Saria continued running for her life through the forest as the Wolfos gave chase, snarling and snapping. She felt her heart pounding in her chest and her body burning from the sheer terror. And as she ran, she found herself right back where she started right where she found the Wolfos in the first place. "Oh no, he's chasing us in circles," Spryte commented, "How are we going to get away from him? He's just too fast?"

"Please... Link... help...," she gasped between heavy breaths as she had slowly lost the energy to scream. Suddenly, she tripped over an exposed tree root, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Saria!" Spryte screamed as the young girl fell to the ground.

Saria turned over on her back and pushed herself up to a sitting position. Then, her eyes sprung wide open and her heart skipped a beat. No more than a few meters away stood the ferocious Wolfos, with the gaze from its bright yellow eyes piercing right through hers and into her very soul. Saria quickly pushed back from it with her hands and feet as quickly as she could. But, her attempt at escape proved futile as she backed herself right into a tree. With nowhere to run, Saria could only look on in terror as the large wolf-like creature slowly inched closer to her like a predator cornering its prey. As it got closer, Saria began trembling as she felt its heavy breath on the skin of her face.

"Hey! You leave my dear Saria alone," Spryte snapped as she flew in between Saria and the drooling beast. She hovered right in front of its face and threw her arms out to her sides. But, her attempt at shielding Saria and persuading the Wolfos failed as it took its powerful front paw and batted her away with one swift swipe.

"Oh no, Spryte," Saria gasped as her guardian fairy hit the ground, putting the little fairy into a daze. She then turned back to the Wolfos, who only inched closer and closer. Saria buried her face in her hands and cowered, trembling in pure terror as the Wolfos growled and hunched down for the final pounce.

"Oh goddesses," she whimpered, "I don't wanna die, not before I tell Link..."

And suddenly, a Deku nut struck the Wolfos in the face setting off a bright flash and cutting Saria off from her plea for her life. Saria glanced up from her hands to find the Wolfos staggering, apparently dizzy from the blast it had taken.

And just as the Wolfos quickly shook it off, a loud cry from a boy caught both its and Saria's attention, followed immediately by a sharp smack to the Wolfos' face from a Deku stick. Saria turned to find none other than the very boy she'd hoped would save her. "Link... you're here... thank the goddesses," she gasped as Link dueled with the angry Wolfos.

The Wolfos recovered from the combined Deku nut and Deku stick attack and lunged at Link. Link quickly jumped aside, letting the Wolfos fly right by him. When it landed, it turned around, hunched down, and dug its rear paws into the grass. But as just before it could lunge forward, Link leaped into the air and swung the Deku stick down, striking dead on the top of its head. However, he also struck it with enough force to snap the long stick in two. "Damn, it broke," Link cursed.

The Wolfos shook the sting from the Deku stick off and lunged at Link, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground. Saria screamed as the Wolfos jumped on top of him and went for his neck with his sharp fangs.

Link, however, thought fast and threw the broken Deku stick in front of his face like a shield just as the Wolfos plunged its open jaws toward him. Its jaws clamped onto the stick, and Link grabbed onto the other end with his right hand and pushed against it as hard as he could. Just as the Wolfos loosened its grip to grab a better hold, Link jammed the stick all the way to the back of its jaw, locking its mouth open.

But the Wolfos only pushed back, trying desperately to overcome Link. And just as it pushed its drooling jaws closer to Link's face, he summoned his strength with a loud "Hyaa" and shoved the Wolfos up from him. He quickly grabbed his other Deku nut, shielded his eyes, and threw it at the Wolfos' face, stunning it with a blinding flash.

"Link, the other broken Deku stick," Navi commanded.

Link pushed the stunned Wolfos off of him and jumped up. The Wolfos quickly shook off the dazed sensation as Link bolted for the other broken Deku stick. It hunched down, raised its rear end, dug its rear paws into the grass, and took off after Link.

Link quickly reached the broken Deku stick and snatched it from the ground. He swiftly turned around, only to find the Wolfos already airborne as it flew toward him claws first and jaw still locked open. Link reacted quickly and ducked to let the Wolfos fly over him. But as it did, Link found an opening between its outstretched front legs. He took the Deku stick and thrust the sharp broken end up at the Wolfos, impaling it deep in its throat.

Link let go as the Wolfos crashed and rolled on the ground. When Link stood back up, he found the Wolfos completely motionless, with the broken stick stuck deep in its throat and into its head. Without a doubt, the Wolfos was dead. Then, he turned to Saria, who was still curled up next to the tree, "Saria, are you all right?"

Right as Link had asked, Saria felt a jolt of energy rush through her. She jumped back up and ran to Link. She then threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shoulder. "Link! Thank the goddesses you're here. I was so scared," she whimpered.

Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders in return and tightened their embrace. "Yeah, I was scared too. I thought I was going to lose you," he said in a low voice, "I'm just glad you're all right." And they held each other tightly for what seemed like hours, until Navi spoke up, "I'm glad you're okay too, Saria."

"Thanks, Navi," said Saria, her voice muffled as her face remained buried in Link's shoulder. And seconds later, the fact that it was Navi's voice and not Spryte's hit her. She suddenly remembered that Spryte had taken a hard slap from the Wolfos. So she quickly pushed her face off of Link's shoulder and quickly looked about, "Spryte? Where's Spryte? Is she okay?"

"I'm right here, my dear," Spryte replied as she floated up to Saria, "I'm so glad you're okay. I'm sorry I couldn't help you.

Saria let out a sigh of relief, "It's okay. Link made it here just in time. I'm glad you're okay too."

Then, Saria and Link both turned to the dead Wolfos lying in the middle of the forest floor and clutched each other tightly. "But what's a Wolfos doing here?" Link wondered, "I thought the forest was supposed to protect us from monsters since Ganondorf is gone."

"I don't know," Saria gasped, "I've never been this close to one."

"This doesn't look good," Link commented as he tightened his hold on Saria, "Every Wolfos that Navi and I have seen here was not only cunning like this one, but also evil."

"And they were smaller than this one too," Navi added, "That's the biggest Wolfos I've ever seen."

"Me too," Link said, "I've not seen one that big either, not in Hyrule, not in Holodrum, not in Labrynna, and not even in Termina.

"Oh no, I hope nothing evil is trying to get into the forest," said Saria.

"Maybe the Great Deku Sprout will know something," said Link, "Maybe we should ask him."

Suddenly, Saria heard a soft rustling in the bushes behind her. She quickly looked over her shoulder, clutching Link tightly for protection. "What was that?" she asked.

Link's pointed ears perked up, and he clutched his best friend protectively as he too heard the rustling, "I don't know. I just hope it's not another Wolfos."

They both suddenly jumped as the bushes sounded another light rustle. "Link, let's get out of here," Saria gasped, not wanting to stick around for another Wolfos to show up.

"Wait, I hear something else," said Navi as she slowly floated toward the bushes, "It sounds very different. I'll go take a look." So she flew over to the bushes and hovered around them as he examined them. And when she glanced underneath, she gasped at what she saw. "Link, Saria, come over here," she said, "Don't worry, it's very much safe."

Link and Saria looked at each other and nodded with a silent understanding. They let go of each other and jogged over to the bushes where Navi awaited them.

"In the bushes, look," Navi whispered, pointing at where to look. So Link and Saria kneeled down and peeked into the bushes. And when they did, Saria gasped at what they had found. They found more Wolfos, alright. Their wolf-like forms were unmistakable. However, the two they had found were much smaller and much more innocent-looking than the one Link had slain.

"Are those baby Wolfos?" Link asked, amazed at the sight before him. Sure, he had seen many Wolfos on his last adventures, but he had never seen babies before.

"They sure look like it," Saria replied.

"Then... that Wolfos I just killed...," Link said as he stood up and glanced once again at the dead Wolfos.

"Was their mother?" Saria finished as she stood up with Link, also gazing at the dead beast.

"I... killed a mother beast?" Link somberly said to no one in particular. His heart sank and a burning sensation rushed through his body as he felt shameful for what he had just done.

Navi noticed Link's distraught expression and floated up to him, perching on his shoulder. "Link, don't be so hard on yourself," she said, "You were just responding to Saria's cries for help and did what you had to do in order to save her. It was either the Wolfos or Saria."

"Yeah, Link," Saria agreed, laying her hand on Link's shoulder, "You didn't know it was a mother Wolfos. Besides, you saved me. So don't be sad, 'kay?"

Link turned his head to face his best friend, his eyes gazing into hers, and smiled. "Yeah, you're right," he said, and then turned back to the dead Wolfos, "But, we still need to take her to the Great Deku Sprout and see what he knows."

"It could've been just another creature and not an evil monster," said Saria.

"Saria's right. It would explain how it got into our protected forest," said Spryte.

"That may be true, but what if it was cursed by something evil just like the creatures here were when Ganondorf cursed and killed the Great Deku Tree?" said Link.

Saria glanced at the ground in defeat, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Can you help me carry it back to the village?" Link asked as he scooted around the bush and walked toward the dead Wolfos.

"Link, what about the babies?" Saria asked, stopping Link in his tracks. Then, he turned to Saria. "We can't just leave them here without their mother," she pleaded.

Link stood there, thinking about the situation. He really wanted Saria's help with carrying the rather large Wolfos, but that also meant he'd have to leave the babies all alone. And Navi and Spryte weren't going to be able to carry them. When he glanced at Saria, the sincere plea showing in her face made the decision for him, "Yeah, you're right. You take the babies. I'll try and drag the mother back to the Great Deku Sprout."

"Right," Saria replied. She kneeled down at the base of the bushes and took a gentle hold of the Wolfos cubs. Then, she gently pulled them both out and cradled them in her arms.

Meanwhile, Link grabbed a hold of the front legs of the dead Wolfos mother and lifted them off the ground. He then kneeled down, turned around, and pulled the front legs over his shoulders, resting the weight of its head and chest on its shoulders. Then, he pushed up with his legs and lugged the Wolfos through the woods.

"Are you gonna be okay with carrying that Wolfos around?" Saria asked as she witnessed Link lifting the dead Wolfos.

"Yes, I can manage," Link replied as he pushed up a few times with his calves, "Actually, she isn't all that heavy. I think I can make it all the way back to the Great Deku Sprout. Let's go."

"I know the way back. Follow me," said Saria as she walked ahead of Link with the cubs resting comfortably in her arms.

_Later, Kokiri Forest..._

After nearly a half-hour of carrying a dead mother Wolfos and her twin cubs, Link and Saria made it back to Kokiri Forest. Once they emerged from the Lost Woods, Fado and another Kokiri boy and girl ran up the hill to greet them.

"Link, Saria, you're back...," Fado greeted, and then froze when she noticed the big Wolfos resting on Link's back. She let out a loud scream at the sight of such a large, ugly, and horrifying beast.

"W-what is th-th-that?" the Kokiri girl asked, trembling in fear.

"I-It's a m-monster," Fado stuttered in response.

"Relax, girls. It's dead. It won't hurt you," Link reassured.

"But... it's big and ugly. And it looks really mean," said Fado.

"Did you really kill it?" the Kokiri girl asked as she saw the stick impaling its throat, "And all without your sword?"

"Yeah, I had to," Link replied, sparing the children the danger that Saria had faced.

"Cool, I never seen anything like that before," said the Kokiri boy as he slowly stepped up to Link to get a closer look at the strange creature.

"Look what Saria brought in," said Link, directing their attention over to Saria. All three Kokiri quickly obliged, eager to find out what Saria was carrying. When they saw the faces of the two little baby Wolfos, their hearts melted.

"Awww... they're little babies," Fado softly commented.

"How cute," the Kokiri girl added.

"I know, aren't they?" Saria agreed, "We need to take them to the Great Deku Sprout to find out how they got in the forest."

"And to make sure they're not evil," Link added as he began to walk forward, "Now if you'll excuse us, this thing's starting to get a little heavy."

So the three Kokiri children stepped aside and let Link and Saria walk by. They made their way down the hill. While Saria walked rather casually with the cubs resting comfortably in her arms, Link ran almost uncontrollably downhill under the weight of the dead Wolfos on his back.

Saria giggled at how silly Link look carrying the heavy monster downhill, "Hey Link, are you sure you're okay with carrying her all the way to the Great Deku Sprout?"

"Yes, I can do it," Link replied as he quickly pushed up with his legs, lifting the Wolfos higher on his back. He then turned around and grinned at Saria, "Trust me."

And so Link and Saria continued their trek through Kokiri Forest and toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. When they reached halfway across the village, Mido suddenly burst out of his house with two boys from his posse joining him. "Alright, what's going on here?" he demanded, "I heard a girl screaming, and it woke me up."

"Ahh... late riser, aren't you, Mido?" Link jabbed.

"Now look here, you big oaf," Mido argued as he stepped forward, "After last night's party, I felt like..." And suddenly, Mido noticed the dead Wolfos resting on Link's back and froze mid-sentence. Immediately, the faces of his and his posse turned white as they quivered in fear. "It's a m-m-m-monster," Mido stuttered.

"I-I'm outta here," said one boy from his posse as he turned and bolted for his house.

"Umm... you're on your own, Brother Mido," said the other boy from his posse as he spun on his heels and ran for the safety of the nearby shop.

"Wait, don't leave me here alone, you bunch of pansies," Mido scolded. Then, he turned back to Link, coming face to face with the dead Wolfos. And as he glanced upon the fearsome creature, he once again began to tremble as another wave of fear washed over him. "Waaaahh...," Mido screamed as he turned around and ran as fast as he could toward his house.

Link stood there, puzzled by what he had just witnessed. Mido, the self-proclaimed Boss of the Kokiri, just ran away from a dead Wolfos like a scared kitten. It was a side of Mido that Link had never seen before, not in the many years that he had lived in Kokiri Forest. Then, it hit him like a well-thrown stone: The haughty and arrogant Mido was scared of a Wolfos. And with that conclusion, Link chuckled and turned to Saria with a mischievous grin.

Saria noticed the look on Link's face, obviously a response to Mido running away scared. Then, she immediately gasped as she quickly knew what Link was thinking. "No, uh-uh," she chided, shaking her head, "Don't even think about it, Link."

"What? I just thought it was funny, that's all," said Link, attempting to hide his mischievous motive.

"Uh-huh, right. I know what you were thinking," said Saria, not buying it, "Let's just take them to the Great Deku Sprout."

"Oh alright," Link pouted, "I just wanted to have some fun with him."

"Oh come on, Link. You're better than that," said Saria as they continued on their way. Moments later, they found themselves in the passage to the Great Deku Sprouts Meadow, and found it to be surprisingly quiet.

"Strange, the Deku Baba plants are actually asleep," Link commented as he carefully lugged the dead Wolfos by the ferocious plants' rooting spots so as not to wake them.

"Yeah, they usually snap at anything that walks by," said Saria, "But even if they were awake, we always find a way to get by them in order to go see the Great Deku Tree and Great Deku Sprout."

"Yeah, everyone can get by them while Mido makes me take a sword and shield just to go see the Great Deku Sprout, even today," Link complained, "It's just not fair."

"Well, perhaps not," Saria agreed, "But most of the time we get by them, someone subdues the Deku Babas. It's out best practice, you know. But, some of the boys like to tease them too."

"It's because they're rooted in the ground and can only jump so far," said Link.

Soon, they arrived at the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow and approached the forest's guardian deity. "Great Deku Sprout, look what we found in the Lost Woods," said Saria as Link dropped the dead Wolfos off his back before the Great Deku Sprout.

"Yes, it must've been one healthy and aggressive Wolfos," said the Great Deku Sprout before he noticed the broken Deku sticks jammed in its jaws and impaling its throat, "And I commend thee, Link. Thou hast courageously defeated a Wolfos even without thy sword or bow."

"Yeah, I sorta had to," Link replied, impervious to the Great Deku Sprout's praise, "It was after Saria. I had to find a way to save her from it."

Saria then gently set the two Wolfos cubs down at her feet. "This Wolfos had a pair of babies too," she said.

"Yes, that is certainly a rare sight, especially as of late," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"I know. I've seen and killed many Wolfos in my travels, but I've never seen babies before," said Link.

"We're both wondering how a mother Wolfos and her babies entered our protected forest," said Saria, "I haven't seen or heard of one in the forest in years."

"And the last one I saw here was when Ganondorf had cursed the forest," Link added, "Could this one have been evil or cursed or something?"

"Yes, my children, I can understand why the sudden appearance of not only a Wolfos but also her offspring would trouble thee," said the Great Deku Sprout, "But understand that many creatures like this Wolfos have come and went from our forest for as long as creatures hast roamed the land. Although such an occurrence is quite rare, even creatures as aggressive as this Wolfos roam about. But fear not, my children. Although thou hast found a Wolfos amongst the forest creatures, thy forest remains quite safe."

"So this Wolfos wasn't evil nor cursed?" Link asked.

"And was just a normal wild animal?" Saria added.

"Yes, my children. Rest assured that this Wolfos and her offspring are quite benign," the Great Deku Sprout replied, "Despite the fearful nature of the forest's labyrinth, the Lost Woods remain quite safe for thee to explore and play in."

"Thank you so much, Great Deku Sprout," said Link as he breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he and Saria still had their favorite place to play in and be together.

"Thou art welcome, Link," the Great Deku Sprout replied, "I know how much the forest means to thee both, especially the Lost Woods and the Sacred Forest Meadow."

"But what about the babies?" Saria asked, "Their mother is dead. We can't just leave them alone. Can't we help them?"

"I'm sorry, my dear Saria, but what is to be done about the offspring is a decision that I want thee to make on thy own," the Great Deku Sprout replied.

"I really want to help them," said Saria. Then, she turned to Link, "Don't you, Link? I mean, we did kill their mother."

Link replied with only a nod.

"I understand thy desire to help the offspring," said the Great Deku Sprout, "But thy decision is one that must be made by all the children of Kokiri Forest, one that thou must make together. Wilt thou decide to keep and care for them together, or wilt thou leave them to chance?"

"You mean if the others don't want to keep them, then we just leave them in the forest to die?" said Saria, obviously distraught over the possibility, "That's just not fair. We killed their mother. Shouldn't we at least care for the babies in her place?"

"I'm sorry, my child, but mother creatures often times can perish whilst protecting their offspring, thus leaving the offspring to perish as well," said the Great Deku Sprout, "Thy slaying of this Wolfos was necessary to protect thy own life and the life of thy friend. As difficult as it seems to accept, such struggles for life is nature's way, and hast been so since the three Golden Goddesses blessed the world with everything living."

"Yes, I understand," Saria said softly as she frowned. She glanced down at the two Wolfos cubs and watched them as they crept along the ground.

Link walked over next to Saria and laid his hand on her right shoulder, giving it an affectionate and sympathetic squeeze. Saria brought her left arm across her chest, laid her hand on his, and held it gently, acknowledging Link's friendly gesture. There, they gazed at the two Wolfos cubs and pondered their fate. "Hey Saria, let's go ahead and ask the others what they think, okay?" suggested Link.

"Okay," Saria softly replied, giving Link's hand one last gentle squeeze before letting go. Then, she turned to the Great Deku Sprout, "Hey Great Deku Sprout, can you call the others and have them gather here?"

"Now that I can do for thee, Saria, and that I shalt do for thee," the Great Deku Sprout gladly replied.

"Right," Saria replied as the Great Deku Sprout summoned all the children of Kokiri Forest, "Let's not tell them we killed her while saving me."

"Right. I'll hide the mother for now so no one else has to see a dead Wolfos," said Link. He then picked up the front legs of the dead Wolfos and dragged it to some nearby tall grass, where none of the Kokiri would see her.

After everyone had gathered, Saria stood up while Link sat next to the twin Wolfos cubs. "Everyone, the Great Deku Sprout has called us here for a reason," she announced, "We have a pair of visitors here from the Lost Woods that Link and I stumbled across while playing a little hide-and-seek."

Then, she waved her hand to the Wolfos cubs, presenting them to everyone.

"Awww... are those babies?" a Kokiri girl asked.

"Yes they are," Saria replied.

"They're so tiny," said one of the twins.

"And so adorable too," said the other twin.

"Where's their mama?" Kalo asked, "Did something happen to her in the forest?"

"Yeah. Their mother died... protecting her babies," Link sadly replied as he frowned and lowered his eyes. And his response was very much true too.

"Oh no, poor babies," another Kokiri girl gasped.

"Was she protecting them from the one you killed?" Fado asked.

Saria hesitated to answer. She glanced over at Link, who still looked distraught over what he had said. Then, she turned back to the others, "Yeah... something like that."

"So what are we gonna do with the babies?" the Kokiri boy from earlier asked.

"Well, I think we should keep them here and raise them ourselves," suggested Saria.

"Wow! Can we really raise these?" Fado eagerly asked.

"Sure we can. I know how much we Kokiri love the forest and all the creatures in it," said Saria, smiling, "And it can be fun too, feeding and playing with the babies."

"Alright!" Kalo whooped, jumping up with his fist in the air, "I want to keep them and feed them and play with them. How 'bout you, Fado?"

"You bet I do. I love babies," Fado replied.

"And we can find out what kind of meats and breads and stuff that we can feed them," said one of the Know-It-All Brothers.

"Do we still have some of that Lon Lon Milk left over from the party?" Link asked.

"Sure do," Saria replied, "Got them under the rocks in the pond, staying cool."

"Right, let's keep them," said one twin.

"We'll all take good care of them," said the other twin.

"Absolutely not!" Mido snapped, silencing the entire group. They all turned to him, with surprised and distraught looks on their faces. "I don't want those monsters living in Kokiri Forest," he continued.

Saria looked down and frowned as her heart sank in her chest. 'Oh no, I was afraid that Mido would be the one to say no,' she thought to herself. Her eyes started to water at the thought of the two Wolfos cubs having to be left in the forest to die.

"Mido!" Fado scorned.

"Yeah, we all want to keep them and take care of them," said Kalo.

"Come on, Mido, it'll be fun to keep them around," said one of the Know-It-All Brothers.

"No way, we're not gonna keep them. I saw that one that Link dragged in," Mido argued, "They're big, ugly, and scary monsters that don't belong in Kokiri Forest."

"But they're so little," one twin pleaded.

"And they're so adorable," the other twin pleaded.

"They're gonna get bigger," Mido argued, "And when they get bigger, they turn into the big, mean, and really scary monsters that live in the Lost Woods. They **eat** kids like us."

"Come on, Mido," Fado pleaded, "They'll see us everyday. We'll feed them and play with them. They'll think we're all their brothers and sisters. They won't try to scare us or eat us."

"Look, I'm the boss here, and I say **no**," Mido declared.

Link glanced over at Saria, whose face looked to be on the verge of tears, and frowned. Suddenly, an idea came to him like a letter from the speedy postman. He stood up and walked over to Mido. "Wait, Mido. You said they'll grow up to be mean and scary monsters, right?" he said.

"Yeah I did, because they are," Mido replied.

"And they're big and fearless fighters, right?" Link added, "I know, I used to fight even scarier ones that were very evil."

"Yeah, that's right," Mido replied, "What's your point, growing boy?"

"Well, we could tame them," said Link, "We raise them here. And when they get big enough, they can protect us from all the _'big, mean, and scary monsters'_ that come from the Lost Woods when I'm not around."

The sound of raising a pair of guard dogs peaked Mido's interest as he raised his eyebrow and his pointed ears perked up, "Really now?"

"Sure," Link replied, "They can even be a part of your little posse too... scaring away all those bad monsters before they even come into Kokiri Forest."

Saria, although inwardly applauding Link's little sales pitch, held her breath as Mido thought about Link's proposition. The Wolfos cubs' very survival depended on Mido's decision, and that fact scared her. Even the others looked up at Mido, anxiously awaiting his final decision.

"Oh, alright. We'll keep them," Mido decided, "It might be fun having them around. But don't expect me to go into the Lost Woods with them. Just because they can protect us from monsters doesn't mean we'll start exploring the Lost Woods."

And all the Kokiri celebrated as they now had new additions to their village. They whooped and hollered like they were having another big party. Saria, with her eyes still a little watery, ran over to Mido and hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Mido. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Saria," Mido replied, inwardly grinning at Saria's approval and gratitude. Then, Saria let go and rejoined the celebrating crowd.

"Thanks, Mido," said Link, "It really means a lot to everyone here."

"Hey, I'm not doing it for your sake," said Mido as he and Link shook hands, "Nor the babies'."

"As long as they grow up strong and healthy," said Link, "I do feel bad for their mother, though. But at least with us, they stand a chance."

"You really are strange," said Mido, noting Link's apparent concern for a bunch of monsters.

"I know," Link replied. So both Link and Mido walked over to the Wolfos cubs and each picked one up. Then, they rejoined the celebrating crowd and slowly made their way back to the village to care for the babies.

_That evening..._

After everyone had settled down after a fun-filled day caring for the new additions to the village, Saria sat on the soft grassy knoll underneath the opening in the trees. There, she pondered the day's events. A silly prank on her best friend turned into a game of hide-and-seek in the Lost Woods. Then, their game took a scary turn for the worst as a Wolfos chased her all around the woods. And just as her end seemed near, Link came to her rescue and killed the Wolfos. But come to find out, it was only a mother Wolfos as they found a pair of Wolfos cubs. So they took them home, and everyone decided to keep them as pets. 'It was sure one fine day indeed,' Saria thought to herself as sunset turned to dusk.

"Hey Saria," Link greeted. Saria glanced up as he sat down next to her. "It was surely a fun and scary day, wasn't it?" he said.

"Yep, it sure was," Saria replied with a smile on her face, "And we got to keep a couple of babies too."

"Where are they, by the way?" Link wondered.

"The twins are keeping them at their house tonight," Saria replied, "All of us will get a chance to keep them in our houses overnight, even Mido."

"That's great," Link replied, "I'm glad everyone decided to keep them."

"Me too," Saria gladly agreed.

They sat back and glanced up at the sky as it slowly darkened. Even a few stars began to peek out in the sky.

"Did you clean up all the leaves that I dumped all over your bed?" Saria asked.

"Yeah, I sure did," Link replied, "I even surprised Navi by being so eager to get rid of them."

"You got that right," Navi agreed.

"That was pretty mischievous of you," Link commented with a smirk, "That was a prank I would've expected Mido to pull."

Saria giggled, "Oh Link, I thought it was funny."

"Yes it was," Link agreed, "You got me pretty good, I have to admit. You never cease to amaze me, ya know."

And so they sat there and enjoyed the view, and each other's company. Whether they said a lot to each other or not, just being together always made them happy. And as Saria thought about it, the memory of Link saving her from the Wolfos re-entered her mind, "Hey Link?"

"Yes, Saria?" Link replied.

"I want to thank you for saving me from that Wolfos," she said, "It really means a whole lot to me."

"You're welcome," Link replied, "I may have saved many different people from many different perils, but it feels completely different when it's a friend who's in trouble, especially my best friend. That's when I'm the most afraid."

Saria smiled and let out a very contented sigh. Then, she turned her head to face him, "Link?"

"Yes, Saria?" Link replied.

"Hold me," she softly requested.

Link gladly obliged and held his arms open wide in invitation. Saria then leaned into them, wrapped her arms around his chest, hugged him tightly, and laid her cheek against his shoulder. Link then wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her very close to him. Saria let out a dreamy sigh, "I never got to properly thank you for saving me."

"Well, I had to," said Link, giving Saria an affectionate squeeze, "If something were to happen to you... I just don't know what I'd do."

"You would be very sad, wouldn't you?" she said softly.

"Yes, I would," Link replied matter-of-factly, "That's why I was so scared."

"I just... feel so thankful that we're both still here together," said Saria, "I'm so happy that you saved me from that Wolfos. It really makes me appreciate our friendship even more. Ya know?"

"Believe me, it made me appreciate all the time we spend together, all the times we play, and all the times we chat even more too," said Link.

And so they sat there on the grassy knoll, snuggled like a pair of puppies keeping each other warm. After facing such peril, they both counted their blessings, thankful to still have each other. No matter what adventures Link had embarked on, no matter what dangers they faced at home and abroad, nothing was going to break the special bond that they shared.

"You know, Link," said Saria, pausing as she smiled, "You really are a hero, going through such lengths to save a normal Kokiri girl like me."

Link blushed and let out a bashful laugh at Saria's compliment, "Awww shucks, Saria. You're hardly a normal Kokiri girl. You're an extraordinary Kokiri girl."

"You really think so?" Saria asked.

"Yep," Link replied, "You're liked by everyone in Kokiri Forest, you're sweet and kind, you're pretty..."

Saria blushed at Link's string of compliments and shook her head against his shoulder, "Now stop it, Link. You're making me feel all giddy."

"You're the Forest Sage, you're growing up when the others don't, and most of all... you're my best friend in the whole world," Link continued, "And I'm very happy to have you as my best friend."

Saria smiled, with her cheeks still flushed, "Well Link, you're pretty extraordinary yourself. You're the best ever with a sword, you save those in peril, you think of others... and you're the Hero of Time."

"Yeah, I'm not always proud to be the Hero of Time," said Link, "Because of it, I've been dragged into many complicated and dangerous quests. Because of it, I had to leave Kokiri Forest behind. Because of it, I had to leave all my friends behind, especially my best friend."

"But... you're not just the Hero of Time," said Saria as she gently and affectionately squeezed him, "You're **my** hero too. And I am so blessed to have you as my best friend."

"And we'll always be best friends and always play together, right?" said Link, returning Saria's friendly squeeze.

"Always," Saria replied.

_end of chapter 5  
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More Link and Saria squishiness to go around in this chapter. This chapter ended up the longest of all my chapters, simply because I went all out on it after splitting it from Chapter 4. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope y'all enjoyed reading it. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	7. Chapter 6: The Lost Woods

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 6

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. In the last couple chapters, we had a little bit of slightly intimate moments between Link and Saria. But how will they build up? Enjoy.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 6: The Lost Woods

Link opened his eyes as the cucco's crow sounded throughout the forest, signaling sunrise. Link let out a big yawn after a wonderful night of slumber. And why would it not have been wonderful? He had spent much of the evening sitting with Saria in the grassy knoll in the large opening near the village entrance, something he had been doing more and more lately. He really loved having his best friend's company after being without it for over two years. That and the fact that he was finally home after such a long journey helped him to have some really good nights of sleep.

So he yawned again and sat up in his bed. Then, he stretched his arms out to his sides, loosening his muscles and letting the blood flow freely through his body. Once he had purged all signs of sleep from his system, he tossed his sheets off of him and threw his legs over the side of the bed.

"Mmm... is that you, Link?" Navi mumbled as she too was just waking up.

"No, it's the Great Fairy visiting you while you sleep," Link sarcastically replied, "Of course it's me."

Navi sat up in her miniature bed and stretched her tiny arms out. Once she had wakened up, she turned to Link, "You're awfully wide awake this early in the morning with a repartee like that."

"Well, you know I wake up pretty fast when I do," Link replied. Then, he stood from his bed and walked over to his wardrobe, "I'm gonna go ahead and get dressed while you wake up."

"Already am, dear," said Navi as she flew up from her bed and over to Link's door, "I wake up pretty quickly too. I'll go say hello to everyone while you're getting dressed."

"Okay. See you soon, Navi," Link replied as he opened his wardrobe. He took out his green tunic, of which he had five, his green pointed hat, his white undershirt, and his white tights. It was the usual Kokiri outfit, outside of the undershirt and tights that made Link's outfit unique. Saria was the only other in Kokiri Forest with a unique outfit, regularly wearing a dark green long-sleeved turtleneck under her tunic. However, the other Kokiri boys and girls would wear a short or long-sleeved undershirt of sorts under their tunics every now and then. Link always liked this outfit. Whether he was in the forest or out exploring some strange wilderness, and even during his recent journey, his outfit always reminded him of the forest he so loved and always returned to.

Once he had gotten dressed and slipped into his boots, a knock sounded on his door frame. "Good Morning, Link," Saria's voice greeted, "May I come in?"

'How does she always manage to wake up before me, even when I get up early?' Link wondered. As he pondered such a mystery, he replied to Saria, "Sure, come on in."

Saria then pulled Link's door curtain aside and entered his tree house. "Good Morning, Saria," he greeted as he grabbed his item bag and strapped it to his belt.

"How are you this morning?" Saria asked, standing in the middle of Link's floor, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did," Link replied, "I even woke up early today, right as the cucco crowed."

"That's great. You're usually a sleepyhead who likes to sleep in," Saria poked, provoking a glare from Link, "I saw Navi on my way here, who told me you were getting dressed. So I waited at the bottom of your ladder for a couple minutes before I came up."

"Well, that was thoughtful of her," said Link. He sat at the side of his bed and finally looked at his best friend as she stood in the middle of the floor, resting her arms behind her back in a modest manner. He noted her usual outfit, from her green tunic and boots, to her dark green undershirt and headband. However, she also carried her ornate slingshot on the right side of her belt and a bag of rock-hard Deku seeds on the left. "Hey Saria, what's the slingshot for?" he asked.

"Oh, this?" she replied, glancing down at her slingshot and then back up at Link, "I just wanted to ask you if you want to go exploring in the Lost Woods with me."

"Do I ever," Link eagerly replied as he stood up from his bed, "You know I love a good adventure. But, are you sure you're okay with going back to the Lost Woods after yesterday?"

"Of course, silly," Saria replied, smiling, "I'll have you with me, right?"

"Right," Link replied as he took his sword and strapped it to his back.

"Besides, Wolfos or not, I'm not afraid of the Lost Woods," Saria added, "I've been walking around it and going to the Sacred Forest Meadow for years."

"Yeah, you're right," Link replied as he strapped his ornate Hylian Shield to his back. 'She sure is a strong girl,' he thought to himself, 'Any of the other Kokiri would've been too afraid to even step foot in the Lost Woods after seeing a Wolfos there. That's one thing I like about her.'

"Let's go, Link," said Saria. She spun on her heels and walked to Link's door, with Link following close behind.

"You still never told me what the slingshot is for," said Link.

"In case I want to shoot some fruits down from the trees," Saria replied, "The Lost Woods is full of tasty fruits that you don't find in Kokiri Forest. And everyone loves them too. So maybe we can gather some fruit for everyone before we come back."

"Well, I might shoot a fruit or two down when we get there. I'm hungry," said Link.

Saria smiled at Link's comment as she climbed down his ladder, "I knew you would be. We can eat when we get there."

_Later, the Lost Woods..._

After sharing a small but delicious breakfast, which consisted of fruits, berries, and nuts, Link and Saria made their way through the Lost Woods. And since they were there to explore parts of the vast forest they didn't mind straying far from the paths that they knew. Although these parts of the forest were unfamiliar to them, they still consisted of many tall trees with thick canopies that blocked out most of the sunlight. Also, many shrubs, rocks, fallen trees, hollow logs, and tall grasses littered the forest floor, giving only few navigable paths for them to walk. Many passages also connected many more open parts of the Lost Woods, which were either small gullies or hollow logs large enough to fit even an adult Hylian. Many of the forest creatures had long since awakened, with the birds chirping away throughout the forest. Such sounds gave the forest a much more serene ambience.

"So tell me, Link," Saria started, thinking back to their game of hide-and-seek from yesterday, "Where were you hiding yesterday so well that I couldn't find you, huh?"

"Well, after running through the woods as fast as I could, I found this rather rough-looking tree that had a lot of old moss on it," Link explained, "So I climbed it and sat on the big branch that sat pretty high up."

"Well, that was pretty sly of you," Saria commented, giving Link a gentle poke to the side, "It's no wonder I couldn't find you."

"Hey, any hiding place is fair game in hide-and-seek," Link defended, "You chose to hide behind a bush while I found a tree to climb."

"Well... do you think you can find that tree again?" Saria curiously asked, "I don't think I've seen a rough-looking moss-covered tree around here yet."

"I don't know," Link replied, somewhat apprehensive, "I don't exactly remember how I got there. As big as these woods are, it may take a while to find it."

"I don't mind," said Saria, smiling and nudging Link's shoulder with hers, "We **are** exploring the Lost Woods. So why now look for that tree? It might be fun."

"Okay, let's go find that tree," Link replied with a smile. And with their decision made, they ventured further off the familiar path and deeper into the Lost Woods, anxious of what they may find.

After traveling some distance, Saria spotted the bush where she had hidden from Link the day before. It shape, as well as some of the trees and other shrubs that stood near it, all helped Saria to remember that particular bush. "Hey, I remember this place," she commented, "This is where you found me yesterday, and also where I counted to twenty and started looking for you. Do you remember which way you ran?"

Link stopped and looked at the woods all around him, trying to remember everything he had seen the day before. Soon, he found the answer to Saria's question. "Sure, I ran that way," he replied, pointed in the direction that he had run.

"Great. Let's go," said Saria as she led the way.

"It's a good place to start, but know I took a few twists and turns as I ran while I was looking for a good hiding place," said Link, "I just don't remember where I took those turns."

"I remember some of those turns and which way you went, so I'll help you and Saria find that tree," said Navi, floating ahead of Link and Saria.

"Great. That should make our search a little easier. If you remember the way, then let's go," said Link as he and Saria followed Navi through the trees and passageways.

"That's what we guardian fairies are for," said Navi.

"To remember things that you children may miss or forget," Spryte added.

After a few minutes of hiking through some tall brush, around the shrubs, and through a few passageways Navi spotted something in the distance through the trees. "Look!" she said, getting their attention.

Link looked where Navi was pointing. Sure enough, they found the rough-looking tree covered in old moss in the distance. "Hey, there it is," he said as he picked up his pace, "Come on, Saria."

Saria smiled as she jogged behind Link, "Thank you, Navi."

"You're welcome, dear," Navi replied.

In no time at all, they all arrived at the same old and rough tree where Link had hidden from Saria yesterday. Saria gazed up into the branches of the tree, with her face showing the amazement she felt. "Wow, that is one humongous tree," she said, "I mean... sure the Lost Woods is full of big trees like this, but this tree... it looks so old. It just has to be the grandfather of a lot of the trees around here."

Then, Saria focused on the larger lowermost branches and gasped, "Whoa, just how high are those branches?"

"I don't know. I'd sat 20 to 25 meters, at least," Link replied, "My Longshot should be able to reach it, no problem. I just didn't have it with me yesterday, so I had to climb this tree."

"And you hid all the way up there?" Saria asked in amazement.

"He sure did," Navi replied, "He looked like a regular monkey climbing this tree."

"Hey now," Link scolded, glaring at the little fairy hovering next to him, I rather like climbing trees, thank you. I **am** a boy, you know."

Navi giggled, "Sorry, dearie. I couldn't resist."

Link then turned back to Saria and smiled. "So, Saria, do you want to go up this tree with me?" he offered.

"I'd love to," Saria gladly replied, "It looks plenty big enough up there for both of us."

"Believe me, it is," said Link, "There's even another big branch very close to it, just slightly to the left and not very far up. One of us can sit up there."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Saria eagerly said, "Let's climb up there."

"Who said anything about climbing?" Link said with a smirk as he took out his Longshot spring-loaded grappling hook.

Navi rolled her eyes at Link's quick solution to climbing a tree, "You and your Longshot, Link. You've been so in love with that thing ever since Dampé gave you your first one."

"Hey, it's a very useful took. Of course I love it. Besides, I got this one in Termina," Link defended. Then, he turned to Saria, "You ready, Saria? We're going on a little ride up the tree."

"Cool. That sounds like fun. I'm ready," Saria replied.

"Okay, grab a hold of me," Link instructed. Saria smiled and gladly obliged. She ran up to him and wrapped her left arm around his chest and her right arm over his left shoulder. Link then wrapped his right arm tightly around Saria. Then, with the Longshot in his left hand, he and aimed it at the second-lowest branch. "Hang on tight, Saria," he said.

Saria clutched Link tightly as he fired the Longshot upward, connecting easily with the second-lowest branch. And in the blink of an eye, the spring-loaded Longshot pulled Link and Saria off the ground and up the tree like a fast elevator. Saria looked over her shoulder and watched in awe as the nearby tree branches passed under the hidden horizon and the forest floor shrunk beneath her. It was truly a breathtaking sight. Saria was actually going up into the trees. Sure, she had climbed trees before back in Kokiri Forest. But, she had never climbed any of the trees in the Lost Woods before, not even during Link's two-year-long journey.

In no time at all, what seemed like minutes to Saria, they found themselves next to the lowest branch of the old tree. "Saria, can you reach?" Link asked.

Saria glanced down at the branch and found it to be very close to her. "Oh yeah, I can reach it just fine," she replied. She quickly let go of Link and easily hopped down onto the branch. Then, she grabbed onto the rough bark of the trunk and looked back at Link, "I want the upper branch," she said with a smile before she began climbing.

"Okay, go on ahead," Link replied. So he moved his legs front and back and started to swing. Once he was safely over the lowest branch, he let his Longshot release and let himself drop onto the branch. Then, he sat down and leaned against the trunk.

As he put his Longshot away, Saria lied down on her chest and belly on the second branch. She rested her cheek on her right hand and let her left arm hang from the branch. Once she was comfortable, she looked down at Link and smiled. "I like it up here," she said.

"I like it up here too," Link replied as he rested his hands behind his head and looked up at Saria's pretty smiling face.

"We oughta climb trees likes these more often," said Saria.

"That would be fun," Link replied.

Saria then looked back up and glanced all around her, taking in the sights of the forest from so high up. She glanced into the branches of the nearby trees, and even higher up into the forest canopy. The sight captivated her, "I've never seen the Lost Woods like this before."

"Neither have I, Saria... not until our game of hide-and-seek yesterday," said Link.

"It's a lot like being up in the trees at Kokiri Forest, only so much bigger and so much thicker," said Saria.

"And everything on the ground looks so much smaller from up here," Link added.

"You're so much closer to all the leaves, fruits, and animals up here in the branches," Saria continued, "I'm so used to seeing the branches from on the ground. But being in the branches, I can see just how many leaves and branches are really up here. I can see why so many birds and other animals like to live up here."

"But you can't seem to see very far into the branches 'cause the forest is so thick," said Link, "So I can see how you probably weren't able to find me when I was hiding up in this tree."

Right as Link mentioned their hide-and-seek game again, they both reflected back on the Wolfos attack that had cut their game short. As both pondered the strange events surrounding it, Saria spoke up, "You know that Wolfos from Yesterday?"

"Uh-huh. I was thinking about it too," Link replied, "I'm just glad that it was just another creature and not something evil."

"Me too," said Saria, "Looking back on it, I didn't really hear anything from the spirits about that Wolfos."

"Well, did you hear anything from the spirits when the Great Deku Tree was cursed?" Link asked.

Saria only frowned as that memory hit her like a hammer to an anvil, "No, I didn't. Ganondorf had all of us fooled good, even the forest spirits."

"That's why I was wondering if the Wolfos was evil or a creature being used by something evil," said Link.

Saria then turned back down to Link and smiled at him. "Hey, at least we got to keep a couple of her babies as pets," Saria said more cheerfully.

"Yep, it'll be a lot of fun raising a pair of Wolfos cubs," said Link, "I'll have Talon send us some more Lon Lon Milk next time I go to ride Epona."

"Sweet! But that Wolfos... it was the first one I've seen since before you first left the forest," Saria explained, thinking back on the fact that a Wolfos had entered their forest, "I didn't even see any Wolfos or any other mean creatures in the two years that you were gone."

"So that's why you weren't afraid to come back to the here after coming face-to-face with the biggest Wolfos I've ever seen," said Link.

Saria smiled at Link, "Of course. I love the forest, and no Wolfos is ever going to keep me from coming back to the forest I love."

"You and I both, Saria," Link agreed.

"To be quite honest, the Lost Woods isn't so dangerous as everyone seems to think it is," said Saria, "It may seem creepy sometimes, with all the ghost stories and monster stories, but it's actually quite beautiful and serene. That's why I always come here and visit the Sacred Forest Meadow like it's second nature, while everyone else barely makes it a few steps in before running away."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Link, "Ganondorf's long gone, so there's really nothing to worry about, right?"

"Right," Saria replied.

"Well look what we have here, two Kokiri children sitting up in the old moss tree," a voice suddenly called up from below, startling both Link and Saria.

'Who could've found s this deep in the Lost Woods?' Saria thought sardonically to herself, 'I thought everyone was too afraid to venture this far into the woods.'

But when she and Link looked down toward the forest floor, they found a rather familiar figure waving at them. He wore a straw hat, earth-tone clothes, pointed cloth shoes, and held a flute in his left hand.

"A Skull Kid?" said Link, easily recognizing the black face and odd clothing.

"Saria? Is that you up there?" the Skull Kid asked, immediately recognizing her green hair, "What are you doing way up there?"

"Oh hi there," Saria greeted, waving back to him and recognizing him as a friend of hers, "Link brought me up here to show me the view from up there. I'll be down in a minute."

"You know him?" Link asked as he sat up on the branch.

"Yep, sure do," Saria replied, "I met him the first month of autumn after you left to look for Navi. He sorta became my friend from the forest. And he loves my songs."

"Cool," said Link, "I've met a few Skull Kids myself in my travels, including the one in Termina. Strange children, they are, but also friendly."

"Well come on, let's get down from here and meet him," suggested Saria. Link reached into his item bag and pulled out his Longshot grappling hook. Meanwhile, Saria stood up on the big branch and hopped down to the lowest branch to join Link. "Can you really lower us down to the ground with that?" Saria asked.

"Sure can," Link replied, "I do it all the time when using this neat little tool. I just wish I had it when we were playing hide-and-seek yesterday. Now hold onto me."

Link stood up and held his right arm open wide. Saria stepped up to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and over his shoulder. Link then aimed the Longshot at the branch where Saria laid and held onto her tightly as he fired. The Longshot connected with the branch and quickly pulled them right to it. And as they hung over twenty meters above the forest floor, Link manipulated the Longshot, letting its spring-loaded chain lower them safely to the ground.

"That looks like fun," the Skull Kid applauded as Link and Saria reached the ground,' "It sure beats climbing and jumping up and down these trees."

Saria let go of Link and joined the Skull Kid, "Well, this was my first ride up and down trees on Link's Longshot. But, it was really amazing."

After retracting his Longshot, Link turned around to meet the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid, however, immediately noticed Link's appearance as he glanced upon him. "Your clothes, your blue eyes, your blonde hair... look familiar," he said as he approached Link to further examine this familiar-looking person, "You look like someone I met before I met Saria."

Link stood still and smiled as the Skull Kid walked all around him. 'He seems familiar too,' Link thought to himself, 'I know he's not the Skull Kid from Termina. Tatl and Tael would be here too if he was. But still, I've met this Skull Kid before... but where?'

"Ah yes, I remember you now," said the Skull Kid, "You gave me that skull mask a couple summers ago."

"That's right," said Link as the Skull Kid's recollection helped to jog his own memory, "I knew I had met you before."

"I almost didn't recognize you. You're taller than you were when I first met you," said the Skull Kid, "I thought Kokiri children were like us and don't grow up."

"Well...," Link started.

"That's because he's a very special Kokiri," said Saria, "This is Link, my best friend in the whole world."

"Oh, so you're the hero that Saria has told me so many great stories about," said the Skull Kid. He approached Link again and shook his right hand, "It's great to finally meet you. Now I can see why a special Kokiri like you can grow up."

'Believe me, I'm not the only special Kokiri,' Link thought to himself as they shook hands, referring to the pretty green-haired girl accompanying him, 'Give it some time, and you'll see just how special she really is.'

"So did you really leave the forest and see the big world out there?" the Skull Kid asked.

"I sure did," Link replied, "I've been gone for over two years. I just came home about four nights ago."

"Why were you gone for so long?" the Skull Kid asked.

"Well... let's just say a friend of mine went missing and I had to travel the world to look for that friend," Link explained.

"That's right," Navi agreed, hiding the fact that she was that friend whom Link described.

"That's sad," said the Skull Kid frowning at Link's explanation, "Did you find your friend?"

"I sure did," Link replied, turning to Navi and receiving a nod from her.

"That's great. Did you learn any good songs while you were traveling?" the Skull Kid asked, anxiously yet gently gripping his flute, "I've heard so many of Saria's songs for so long. I would be nice to hear some of the songs from outside the forest."

"Yeah, Link. Let's play some of your new songs for him," Saria encouraged.

"Okay," Link gladly replied. He reached for his left hip and took his fairy ocarina from its protective case. Saria also grabbed her own fairy ocarina. The Skull Kid sat down, holding his flute in both hands, as Link and Saria stood next to each other with their ocarinas in hand.

"So what song do you want to start out with?" Saria asked.

Link pondered about which song out of his rather wide repertoire to start out with. After a few seconds, the perfect song hit him. "Hmmm... how about we start with our favorite, the upbeat and festive folk song from Clock Town in Termina," he suggested.

"Brilliant idea," said Saria before she placed the ocarina to her lips. She then began to play the accompaniment, while Link placed his own ocarina to his lips and played the melody.

'This is a very nice song to dance to,' the Skull Kid thought to himself, 'I should learn this song and show it to the others. It would be a perfect party song.'

And for the next hour, Link and Saria played a number of songs for the Skull Kid. Some of those songs included Hyrule favorites like the pastoral _Epona's Song_, the _Minuet of Forest_, and the sweet-sounding _Zelda's Lullaby_. They also played songs from outside of Hyrule like the somber _Song of Healing_, the jam session of _New Wave Bossa Nova_, the festive dance troupe's songs from Holodrum, and finally the beautiful melody that Labrynna's diva taught to Link.

Throughout the music recital, the Skull Kid sat and smiled, taking in all the strange and wonderful new songs. He had never once since meeting Saria heard so many new songs in even a week, let alone an hour. Once he had absorbed a few of the songs, he asked Link and Saria if he could join in on his flute, to which they both gladly agreed.

So the Skull Kid stood up and played his flute along with Link and Saria. Being an expert flautist, he picked up on the songs rather quickly. And soon, he was dancing to the songs as they all played.

After their final song, the Skull Kid turned back to Link and Saria. "That was the best time I've ever had," he said, "I really enjoyed playing these new songs with you, Saria and Link."

"I always enjoy playing songs for you," said Saria.

"Hey, I'm very happy to teach them to you," said Link.

"I'd love to stay and play some more, but I have to gather some fruit and get back home before the others start to worry about me," said the Skull Kid.

"It's okay. We really enjoyed your company," said Saria. Then, she turned to Link, "Right, Link?"

"Of course," Link replied with a smile.

"I hope I can see you again, Link," said the Skull Kid.

"Well, I'm home now, back in the forest, so I'm sure we'll meet again," said Link.

"Great," the Skull Kid exclaimed as he turned around, "Bye, everyone. Thank you for playing with me."

"You're welcome," Saria replied, waving at him. Once he was gone, Saria turned back to Link, "So, what do you want to do now?"

Link rest his left knuckle on his chin and assumed the Thinker pose as he pondered what to do. "How about we hunt for some tasty fruits and berries and talk some more?" suggested Link.

"Sure," Saria replied, "I got my slingshot. Do you have yours?"

"Right here in my item bag," Link replied as he patted his item bag hanging from the right side of his belt.

"Just how much stuff do you keep in that bag?" Saria asked, amazed at such a thought.

"Let's see," Link began as he counted each item with his fingers, "My slingshot, my Longshot, my boomerang, my hammer, my bow..."

Saria stared at Link with her mouth hanging open as Link listed all the contents of his item bag. The sheer numbers, and especially the size, of items he kept in that relatively small item bag amazed her.

"... my Deku sticks, my Deku nuts, my bullet bag, a quiver of arrows, my bomb bag, my wallet of rupees, a pair of heavy iron boots, a few empty bottles, and both ocarinas when they're not being carried on my belt."

"You're kidding, right?" said a completely bewildered Saria, at which Link shook his head in response. "Oh my goddesses, how do you keep all that stuff in that little bag? Is it some kind of forest magic or something?"

"Yep," Link replied with a smile, "The Great Deku Tree gave it to me right before he died and I started my first adventure. This magic bag allows me to carry so many different things in such a small bag. It's been really helpful to me on my adventures."

"Brilliant," Saria commented, "I never knew that kind of magic existed in the forest."

"Well, the forest is full of surprises," said Link as he took his slingshot out of his item bag. Then, he grabbed a Deku seed, placed it in his slingshot, aimed at the branches of a nearby tall tree, and fired. In a few seconds, a bright yellowish-orange oval-shaped fruit dropped to the forest floor in front of them. Such a fruit was unfamiliar to both Link and Saria. Link then turned to Saria and smiled as he finished his sentence, "You taught me that."

"Wow, neat. I've never seen one of these before," Saria commented, "They must grow only in this part of the forest. I wonder if it's really delicious."

Navi and Spryte both flew over to the strange fruit and examined it. "This is a Hylian Blackwood Pear," said Spryte.

"It's a rather uncommon fruit from a rather uncommon tree," Navi added, "You don't find very many of these in Hyrule. What small numbers there are can be found in the groves north of the castle. It's certainly rare to find a Hylian Blackwood Pear tree here."

"This fruit is pretty ripe," said Spryte as she grabbed the fruit and brought it to Saria, "Don't worry, dear. I hear they're very delicious."

Saria took the fruit in her hands. She examined it, pondered it, and then took a big bite out of it. She smiled as its sweet and savory juices filled her mouth. "This is really delicious," she said after trying the pair, "We should gather a bunch of these for everyone."

"Great, let's do it," said Link. He looked up at the tree for more of the tasty yellowish-orange pears to shoot down. Sure enough, he found plenty more up in the branches.

"You know, Link, these woods are really amazing," said Saria.

"You can say that again," Link agreed as she shot another pear down from the tree.

After shooting down a few fruits, a thought came to Saria's mind, "Do you remember yesterday when you were about to tease Mido with the dead Wolfos and I said no?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Link asked, shooting down a couple more pears.

"Well, there's a story behind that," Saria explained, "It's the reason that neither he nor the other Kokiri will go very far into the Lost Woods."

"Oh?" Link said as his pointed ears perked up. He turned around and sat in front of Saria, curious to hear the story.

"It happened right before you first came to the forest as a baby," Saria began, "We used to tell all kinds of ghost stories about the dark and gloomy Lost Woods, the same stories you heard a lot of. One day, Mido decided that he wanted to be brave and show everyone that there were no ghosts or scary creatures in the Lost Woods, that lost children don't turn into Skull Kids, and that all the scary stories are rubbish. So he went inside and explored the Lost Woods. He ended up going missing all day... he never came back out."

"Did anybody go in after him?" Link asked.

Saria sad down and shook her head, "No. Everyone was too scared to step foot into the woods that supposedly swallowed Mido up. It wasn't until after sundown when he finally did come out... and he didn't come out alone."

"Let me guess... a Wolfos," said Link.

Saria nodded, "Uh-huh. Mido ran for his house as fast as his feet could carry him. And everyone else and I scattered and ran for our own houses. By morning, it had long since left. Mido said that it had chased him all over the Lost Woods and for quite a long time too. While the rest of us had gotten over that little scare of a Wolfos coming into our village, it took Mido quite a long time to finally get over it. Ever since then, he's been scared to death of them. That's why he and the other Kokiri don't come very far into the Lost Woods. That's why I didn't want you to tease him with that dead Wolfos. And that's why I was afraid that Mido wouldn't want to keep the babies."

"I see now," said Link as he pondered much of Saria's story. Despite having understood everyone's fear of the Lost Woods, one question remained on his mind. "Hey Saria, with Mido's Wolfos encounter and all of the scary stories of the Lost Woods... how did you end up coming here so often?" he asked.

"That's a very good question," said Saria. She knew she was the only Kokiri who had no fear of the Lost Woods. Coming to the Lost Woods was second nature for her. But, she had to think back on what had drawn her to the Lost Woods to begin with. "Well, it's really quite simple," she replied, "It was the spirits of the forest."

"Because you can hear them?" Link guessed.

"Mmhmm," Saria nodded, "I heard them speaking to me, telling me not to be afraid. So I walked into the Lost Woods and let them guide me to the Sacred Forest Meadow. It was my connection with this forest that drew me here."

"And what did the others think when you entered the Lost Woods?" Link asked.

"They were worried at first," Saria explained, "And Mido was scared to death and tried to tell me not to ever go back. But, everyone thought it was neat that I went into the Lost Woods and returned to the village very much okay. It wasn't until the Great Deku Tree told Mido about the spirits of the forest and my connection with them when he finally let me come here. Even today, he still doesn't like me coming here."

"Because of the Wolfos, right?" Link guessed.

"Right," Saria replied with a smile, "So tell me. How did you start coming to the Lost Woods?"

"Do you remember when I came back to visit you after I first left the forest?" said Link, beginning his story.

"Do I ever," Saria replied, "I was so happy when you came back to see me, and even happier to have been able to help you on you adventure."

"Well, that was my first time coming to the Lost Woods," said Link.

"Really?" Saria wondered.

"Yep. When I visited Darunia, the leader of the Gorons, and asked him about the spiritual stone, he was already angry and wanted me to play a song for him to calm him down and cheer him up. But, I only knew _Zelda's Lullaby_, so he threw me out... literally. Navi suggested I come back and see you, so that's when I came back."

"I see," said Saria, giving him a smirk, "So you needed my help, huh?"

"More than that," said Navi, "He was so eager to see you, that he ran the long way from Death Mountain to Kokiri Forest just to see you."

"Hey, she's my best friend... of course I was eager to see her," Link defensively said to Navi, drawing a giggle from Saria. Then he turned back to the green-haired girl and continued, "But when I came back, Mido told me to find you here. That's what made me come to the Lost Woods."

"Weren't you afraid?" Saria asked.

"A little, but not as much as I would've thought," Link replied, "After fighting the evil that cursed the Great Deku Tree, I sorta felt a little bold. But I did get lost here. There was no way I could find you."

"So how did you finally find your way to me?" Saria asked.

"Kaepora Gaebora, that's how," Link replied, "That wise old owl told me to follow your song through the woods. He guided me through the woods and showed me that the Lost Woods weren't as bad as Mido made them out to be."

"Yep, and now we both come here a lot," said Saria with big smile.

"Right. These woods aren't so bad at all. In fact, they're quite interesting," said Link, "This place alone is full of all kinds of fun and adventure. That, and the fact that you and I come here together, always makes me come back here."

"Of course. The Lost Woods is something that you and I will always share together," said Saria, "It's a place where we can come and play without Mido bothering us. It's a place where we can sit and chat like we are now. It's a place where we can just be together and enjoy each other's company... just you and me."

"And us too," Spryte added.

"Yeah. I love Kokiri Forest and I like being with everyone," said Link, "But... sometimes I just want to be away as well, and still be with you. And the Lost Woods is perfect since you can't leave the forest."

"And don't forget about our secret place in the Sacred Forest Meadow," Saria reminded.

"Actually, I think much of this forest is our secret place now," Link commented. Then, he stood up, "Let's grab some more of these pears and bring them back to everyone."

"Okay," Saria replied as she too stood up, "Do you have a burlap sack in that magic bag of yours, by any chance?"

"Actually, I do," Link replied with a smirk.

"Brilliant. Then let's load up and head home," said Saria as she took out her own slingshot. And for the rest of the morning, they took turns shooting down pears and loading them into Link's burlap sack. The other Kokiri back in the village certainly had a sweet treat heading their way.

_A week later, Hyrule Field..._

The midday sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky over Hyrule Field. The fields flourished with the vibrant colors of late spring. A gentle breeze carried the bits of grass, leaves, and flower petals through the air, adding to the pleasant springtime aroma. However, despite the clear and beautiful day, Hyrule Field saw very little activity from neither man nor beast.

However, in the southeastern region of Hyrule Field, Link rode on the back of Epona, with Navi following close behind. It was only the second time Link had ridden the nearly 3-year-old white mane chestnut since his birthday party. Despite how seldom Link rode Epona, he spent more time with her than anyone else outside the forest. Many of his horseback rides on Epona were quite leisurely. Although riding on horseback was the quickest way to travel the vast Hyrule Field, Link often preferred to ride Epona just to have her company.

Ever since he first played the pastoral _"Epona's Song"_ for her on his ocarina and after two years on a long adventure together, Link and Epona had developed a special relationship, one that was mutually beneficial. With Epona, Link could travel through much of Hyrule and even beyond with much haste. With Link, Epona could see much of the big world outside of Lon Lon Ranch.

Today, Link had decided to take Epona out for a little stroll around Hyrule Field and near Lake Hylia. He had not left the forest much since his return to Hyrule from his long journey. As much as he loved to travel and see the world, something always kept him at the forest. Was it all the fun and adventure the forest had to offer him since his first trek through the Lost Woods? Or was it something else altogether? Whatever the reason, Link found riding Epona as the perfect excuse to leave the forest and clear his mind. It was the perfect way for him to spend some time alone, away from the other Kokiri. It was just him, his guardian fairy, and his trusty steed.

On this trip, however, Link and Navi remained relatively silent. Link gave verbal commands and words of encouragement to Epona, while Navi applauded and praised Link's fine riding and Epona's feats. For much of the afternoon, they just enjoyed the ride.

However, as relaxing as this leisurely horseback ride was, many thoughts kept entering Link's mind throughout the ride. They were neither unpleasant nor unwanted, but rather very warm and pleasurable thoughts of the forest. But despite how much these thoughts made Link smile, the fact that they kept reentering his mind made them rather distracting.

Epona sensed this and began to slow to a walk. It's been said that animals can sense what people feel, especially those closest to them, and Epona was no different. "Yeah, you know what I'm thinking about, don't you, girl," Link said softly to Epona as he gently stroked the side of her neck.

Epona whinnied in reply and slowed to a very slow walk.

"Yeah, I've had thoughts like these back during our adventures in Termina and Holodrum," said Link, "You know better than anyone when I'm thinking about the forest... and thinking about her."

"Something wrong, dear?" Navi asked, wondering why Epona had suddenly slowed down.

"Oh nothing, just a few things on my mind, that's all," Link evasively replied.

"Really? Like what?" Navi inquired as she hovered next to Link's face, "You've been thinking about stuff a lot every time we've left the forest since you came back to Hyrule. So what are you thinking about this time?"

"Well, it's the same thing as the last time I visited the Lon Lon Ranch and rode Epona," Link explained, "I know I see Saria everyday now since I'm home, but recently... for some strange reason, I can't stop thinking about her."

"Really?" said Navi as her pointed ears perked up, "You used to think about Saria a lot when we were together on our first adventure. And you thought about her a lot on your second adventure, especially after you found me."

"Well... back then, I thought about her a lot because I was longing to see her again," said Link, "Now, I see her everyday. Yet sometimes when I leave the forest, I still want to see her again and can't stop thinking about her."

"Link what kind of thoughts?" Navi asked.

"Well, I like having her company," Link explained, "We have a lot of fun playing together. We have fun adventures in the Lost Woods. We even talk about everything that's going on in our lives. I guess we've been apart for so long, that I still have this yearning to be with her."

"Well, there must be other reasons besides a yearning to be with her," said Navi, "Surely there's something about Saria that still has you yearning for her company."

Link thought about it as he gently tugged on the reins, bringing Epona to a stop. "Actually...," Link began as he tossed his right leg over Epona's back and hopped down from her, "...there is."

"Oh? Do tell," said Navi as she perched on the horn of Epona's saddle, "I'm your guardian fairy. You can tell me anything."

"Well," Link began as he stroked Epona's neck, "It's like every time I'm with her now, I just end up thinking about her again. And since the party, hearing some of what she had gone through to make it happen, I've been thinking about her more and more."

"Well, you know that everyone had a hand in making that party happen," said Navi, "Yes, it was **her** idea. Yes, **she** sent out for a lot of the foods from outside the forest. But, without everyone else's desire to welcome you home and show you what you meant to them, the party wouldn't have happened."

"I know. It's just... no one's ever been that thoughtful of me before," Link explained, "I've only ever gotten gifts from two people in my life, and that was my item bag from the Great Deku Tree, and my ocarina from Saria. When I saw how Saria had taken charge of the party, I knew right then that it was all her idea. That thought sent such a feeling of warmth through me... I just... never felt that way before, and I still can't describe it."

"She really impressed you, didn't she?" said Navi.

"Yeah, she's always impressed me," Link replied, "She never ceases to impress me, and she doesn't even try most of the time. She's stood up for me and the others, and was always the one to put Mido and his gang in their places. She dared to go into the Lost Woods after all the bad stories about the place. She played so many songs for everyone on her ocarina. And even now, she can do so many amazing things."

You know, Link, all that stuff that impressed you so much then, **you** can do all of that now," Navi pointed out.

"Very true, and so much more," Link agreed, "But I wouldn't have done any of that without Saria. She inspired me to be brave and strong, and to look fear in the face. She even taught me how to play the ocarina with her and taught me a few songs. And most of all, she supported me on my first adventure."

"I see," said Navi as she glanced down and let her tiny legs swing back and forth, "All that has you thinking about her a lot. But you still haven't told me what kind of thoughts you have of her."

"Okay, okay. I think about seeing her again," said Link, "I think about seeing her pretty smiling face, her beautiful blue eyes, her fair skin, and her flowing green hair. I think about hearing her cheerful voice, hearing her play her ocarina, and hearing her laugh. I just think about the next time I would see her and be with her again."

"Hmmm... you must have some feelings for her, don't you?" Navi said with a smirk. And right as she had mentioned it, Epona turned her head, gently nuzzled Link's neck and cheek, and letting out a low nicker, "See, Epona knows too."

"Yeah, she knows how I feel toward Saria," said Link as he stroked and caressed Epona's muzzle and forehead, "I care a lot about Saria. She means the world to me. She's always made me feel at home in Kokiri Forest, fairy or no fairy. She makes me feel like I belong there. And I really feel happy just being with her."

"But what about when you had to leave her to look for me?" Navi asked, "Were you not happy just to still have her?"

"You know, Saria asked me the same thing," Link replied, "It's like I told you after we reunited. You're my guardian fairy, and you're also my friend. And after you left so suddenly, I felt like a part of me went missing too. As happy as Saria had made me, I just didn't feel right unless I knew you were okay. It wasn't until after I had embarked on my search for you that I began to realize just how much Saria really meant to me. There weren't a whole lot of nights when I **didn't** think about her. And it was those thoughts of her that kept me going, to find you as quick as I could, so you and I could go back to her."

"So she and I both make you feel at home, huh?" said Navi.

"Yeah, you do," Link replied matter-of-factly, "You make me feel like a true Kokiri, despite my Hylian blood... both of you. Yet, I seem to be thinking about Saria and caring about her more and more. But why? Aren't we already best friends?"

"Well, dear, you're growing up," Navi explained, "And as you grow and mature, so will your feelings toward your friends. And now, Saria is growing up too, and apparently has been since the end of our first adventure. I think that since you both are growing up, that your friendship is growing too. And as it grows, you'll start expressing your feelings in different ways."

Link quickly thought about all the recent times he had spent with Saria. He thought about the times they played and chatted, and even their more tender moments. But one night quickly came to mind, the night after he had saved her from the Wolfos. "Like when Saria wanted me to hold her, huh?" he asked.

"Yep, and the nice friendly and soothing backrub she gave you the night before," Navi replied, "You two getting a little cozy, yearning to be close, is just one way. But, if you really want to show a friend, especially a girl, that you think about them and how much they mean to you, you show them by getting them a gift."

"Get Saria a gift, huh?" Link pondered.

"Yep. You ought to give Saria a nice gift... a gift from the heart. That'll certainly show her just how much you think about her and how much you care," suggested Navi.

Link smiled as many of his questions were answered, as he began to somewhat understand how his friendship with Saria was maturing. And along with these thoughts of Saria, another thought came to mind, rather a mission. And with that thought, he stepped onto the stirrup on Epona's saddle and quickly mounted. "Thanks, Navi," he said as Navi hovered up from the saddle horn, "I'll think of a good gift to get for Saria."

"You're welcome, dear," said Navi as she floated up next to Link's shoulder and smiled, "That's what I'm for."

And so Link gave Epona a sharp kick to the side and sent them galloping down Hyrule Field. Sure, many thoughts of Saria entered his mind and would continue to do so throughout the rest of the day. These thoughts always made him feel warm inside, almost as warm as actually being with her.

'Yeah, she means the world to me, and I care about her a lot,' Link thought to himself as he and Epona galloped toward Lake Hylia, 'She's my best friend in the whole world. Perhaps Navi is right, our friendship is growing. Yet somehow, a part of me always knew that... and more than that... wanted it.'

However, little did Link know that Navi had only told him some of why he felt the way he did toward Saria, and what to do about it. As for anything more, Navi had decided it would be best for Link if he learned on his own as his special friendship with Saria continued to grow.

_end of chapter 6_

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More squishiness, this time from Link. Now we know a lot of what he feels. But is it love? And how does Saria feel? This chapter ended up a little bit longer than I thought it would. On top of that, I had to rewrite parts of it quite a few times. So this was probably the toughest chapter for me to write, but I still enjoyed writing it. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	8. Chapter 7: Feeling's Mutual

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 7

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Sorry for taking so long to post this. With a combination of job and the Olympics, I've been slow with writing. But where we last left off, Link confessed his feelings for Saria to Navi. But where will he go from there? Enjoy.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 7: Feeling's Mutual

_Two Days Later..._

After a wonderful night of fun and games with all the other Kokiri, Link had gotten probably the best night of sleep in years. He rose from his bed and took in a big breath of the crisp forest air. Along with the fine aroma of the spring leaves and tree sap, Link detected a hint of burning wood. "Mmm... someone has a nice fire burning," he commented, "I wonder what's cooking."

So he threw his sheets off of him and leaped up from his bed. He then walked over to his wardrobe and grabbed his usual green hat and tunic. And as he was getting dressed, the sound of heavy footsteps coming up his ladder rather quickly grabbed his attention. And just as he had pulled his tunic on, a loud and unrelenting knocking sounded at his door frame.

"Link, wake up. Wake up," Fado's voice screamed through his door curtain, "Get out here now. There's a big fire."

Those words sent a burning shot from his chest and through his limbs. His heart began to race in his chest as he threw his hat on his head and leaped into his boots. And in no time at all, he dashed out his front door, nearly colliding with the pig-tailed blonde, and slid down his ladder.

As he ran toward the open field near the village entrance, the twins ran up to him. "Link, it's the Lost Woods," cried one twin, with the terror showing in her face.

"They're on fire. It's really big," cried the other twin.

"Kalo, he's in there," cried one twin.

"And Saria went in after him," cried the other twin.

"And they still haven't come out," cried one twin.

"Please, Link," the other twin pleaded, "Help them."

'Oh no, Kalo... Saria...,' Link thought to himself as he turned and dashed for the Lost Woods. As he ran up the hill, all he could think about was the grave danger that two very important Kokiri in his life were in. Kalo had become a sort of protégé over the last two weeks since his return home. He taught Kalo a lot of his sword techniques, all for the upcoming festival on the first day of summer. And Kalo looked up to Link too, viewing him as the big brother he never had.

And then, there was Saria, his best friend in the entire world. They had shared so many fun times over the years. And since his return from his two-year long adventure and his reunion with Saria, their friendship only continued to grow. It was those thoughts that fueled his adrenaline rush as he burst into the Lost Woods.

"Kalo? Saria? Where are you?" he called out, hoping they were close enough to hear him. But as Link listened for a response, all he heard was the distant crackling of the forest burning. So he took off deeper into the Lost Woods. 'Please be alright,' Link inwardly prayed.

But as he ventured deeper into the Lost Woods, a huge gust of wind blew through the forest. Link quickly grabbed his hat and pressed it against his head to keep the wind from carrying it off. Then suddenly, a cloud of thick brownish-gray smoke enveloped the forest all around him, quickly overcoming him.

Link yanked his hat off and threw it over his face, coughing and hacking as the smoke entered his lungs. He squinted as his eyes stung. He took a deep breath through his hat and hollered, "Kalo? Saria?"

"Link, help us," Saria's voice screamed.

"Saria? Where are you?" Link yelled as he ran through the smoke toward Saria's screams.

"Link, hurry! We're trapped in this fire," Saria screamed.

But as Link ran through the forest, getting closer to where Saria was, a tree suddenly fell to the forest floor right in front of him and quickly burst into flames. Link halted and quickly turned to run around the burning tree. But just as he reached a clearing, the shrubs around him burst into flames.

"Damn," Link cursed to himself, covering his face and squinting as a rush of heat struck his face.

"Link, wake up and help us," Saria screamed.

Link quickly looked all around him, looking for a clear path toward Saria. But all he saw through all the thick smoke was all the trees and shrubs burning out of control. There was but one thing to do in order to reach Saria. So Link turned back toward the direction of Saria's screams. He closed his eyes, covered his face with his hat, and took off through the burning brush and shrubs. Link clinched his teeth as the flames kissed his skin and burned him through his tunic and undershirt.

When the burning sensation subsided, Link stopped and uncovered his face. When he opened his eyes, his jaw dropped open and he froze in place at the sight before him. Every tree and shrub all the way into the forest canopy was completely engulfed in flames. The fire was so intense that it made his eyes and face sting like needles and his skin burn through his clothes.

"Saria?" he screamed through the pain, hoping that the flames hadn't claimed her.

"Link, wake up and get over here," Saria screamed, "Link?"

"Saria!" he screamed again, coughing as the hot air and smoke entered his lungs.

"Wake up, Link!" Saria's screamed echoed over the thunderous crackling of the burning forest.

But link had fallen completely powerless. He fell to his knees as the smoke and seering air completely overtook him.

"Come on, Link. Wake up," Saria's voice echoed in his head.

"I'm... sorry... Saria," Link gasped in between violent coughs, "I... couldn't... tell you..." And suddenly, he fell to the ground as the forest vanished all around him.

"Link, wake up," a higher-pitched and disembodied voice called out to him, and everything fell silent. He bagan to squirm about, wondering what had just happened. Was this it? Was he really dead?

"Come on, wake up, sleepyhead," the same voice called out to him, only this time it was much more physical than immaterial.

Suddenly, Link opened his eyes and shot up to a sitting position. He quickly glanced around, with his heart pounding in his chest and his face sweating bullets from what he had just experienced. After looking around, he found himself back in his house and sitting on his bed.

"That must've been some intense dream," Navi's voice said to him as she floated around in front of him.

Link let out a huge sigh of relief upon that realization, "Yeah, tell me about it. That was the scariest dream I've had in a long time."

"I bet," Navi replied, "I've been bobbing up and down and trying to wake you up for the past two minutes."

Link's eyes averted downward, "I'm sorry, Navi."

"Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault," said Navi, "It's not like you can control your dreams."

"Well, I certainly lad no control over this one," Link said somberly, "I couldn't do anything except scream. I was simply powerless."

Navi noticed the rather morbid frown on Link's face and floated down to him, hovering in front of his face. "That dream must be really troubling you," she observed, "I've not seen you with that kind of frown on your face since before our trip back to Hyrule. That frown doesn't suit you, Link. Do you want to tell me about it?"

Link hesitated as he thought about it, 'I've not had a dream like this since I was still in Labrynna. I don't get nightmares like this often. Still... she was in trouble... and I couldn't save her. Maybe there's some kind of meaning to this dream, namely something to do with our friendship. Maybe I should tell Navi.'

"Well?" Navi beckoned.

Link took a deep breath and began, "The Lost Woods were on fire, and somehow, Kalo ended up in it. So Saria ran in after him and never came out."

"Oh no," Navi gasped.

"The twins told me what happened, and I ran into the Lost Woods to look for them. But all I saw was fire... just... nothing but fire and smoke," Link continued, "I tried calling for them, but all I heard was the fire and Saria screaming for me. No matter how far I into the fire I went, I couldn't find her. I ended up completely surrounded by the flames. And the last thing I heard before I woke up was Saria screaming for me to wake up... like she had found me but I was already gone."

"I can understand why that would trouble you," said Navi, "Your best friend was in trouble and there was nothing you could do to save her."

"Could my dream be trying to tell me something?" Link asked his guardian fairy, "Could it be something about our friendship? Could it be how I feel toward her? Or could it be something else altogether?"

"Or maybe it was just a dream," said Navi, "Like I said before, it's not like we can control our dreams. We dream what we dream."

"Yeah, but it still bothers me," said Link, "Saria's my best friend in the whole world. I care about her very much. What if something happens to her and I'm not there to help her, and I never get to tell her and show her how much she means to me."

"Hey!" Navi chided before thumping Link in the forehead.

"Oww! Jeez, what was that for?" Link snarled, grabbing his stinging forehead where Navi had thumped him.

"Listen! You've already saved Saria from a Wolfos once. You even saved her from the monsters at the Forest Temple during your first adventure, even if she has little memory of that," Navi explained, "So instead of just sitting here moping over some silly dream, why don't you do something about it?"

"Really? Like what?" Link wondered, feeling a little skeptical.

At that, Navi threw up her tiny arms in utter disbelief. "I swear to the goddesses, Link, you can be so dense sometimes," she chided, "Have you already forgotten about looking for a gift for Saria?"

"That's right," Link replied as Navi had jogged his memory, "In fact, I borrowed a few of Saria's books yesterday just to look for a gift for her. But I still haven't found anything."

"Well, you also haven't left the forest since your ride with Epona two days ago either," said Navi, "Why don't we go to the marketplace in Hyrule Castle Town? It's grown quite a bit since our first adventure. So it's bound to have many different kinds of gifts for Saria. Plus, it'll help get your mind off that silly dream."

"Now why didn't I think of that?" said Link as he tossed his sheets off and stood up from his bed.

"Because you were worried about a silly dream," Navi poked, "Now get dressed, grab yourself some fruit, and let's go."

"Alright," Link replied. Then, he went to his wardrobe and grabbed his usual attire. And in no time at all, he got out of his pajamas and into his green and white Kokiri outfit. Then, he strapped his item bag to the right side of his belt, and his sword and shield on his back. He then grabbed a few pieces of fruit left over from yesterday and promptly left his house.

As soon as he slid down his ladder, he began to jog toward the village exit. "Good morning, Link," an alluring voice behind him greeted, stopping him dead in his tracks. He turned around to see a girl with shoulder-length green hair and sapphire blue eyes smiling at him and waving at him, "It's so good to see you this morning."

"Uh... good morning, Saria," Link replied as her pretty smile captivated him. 'Wow, she's in an awfully good mood,' he thought to himself.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry this morning?" she cheerfully asked.

"Umm..." Link started, not wanting to give any hints of his gift idea for her, "I'm going to the town at the castle."

"Yep. He hasn't been to the castle since his birthday, and he wants to actually visit the market for once," said Navi, covering for Link.

"Oh cool. Bring us something delicious, okay?" requested Saria.

"You bet. See ya, Saria," Link replied as he turned and made his way out of the forest.

"Bye Link," Saria said vivaciously, waving at Link as he ran toward the village entrance. Once Link disappeared through the big hollow log that led out of Kokiri Forest, Saria let out a dreamy sigh. 'It's so neat that he gets to leave the forest,' she thought to herself, smiling at her thoughts.

Then, she jogged to her house, with Spryte trailing close behind. Once inside, she pulled her boots off and tossed them next to her door. Then, she ran over to her bed and leaped onto it, landing flat on her back and letting herself bounce a couple times before settling down. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and giggled to herself as a few more thoughts flashed through her mind.

"Wow, you're in an awfully good mood this morning," Spryte observed, "In fact, you were this way last night too."

"Aren't I always this cheerful?" Saria replied with a big smile.

"Yes, but lately, you've been so full of joy that it's really showing in everything you do," said Spryte as she floated over to Saria and hovered over her bed, "And now, you can hardly contain yourself."

"Well, my best friend's finally home after being gone for so long," Saria explained, "So of course I'm in a good mood. I've been in a good mood."

"But he's been home for a couple weeks. On top of that, you see him everyday now," Spryte commented.

"I know, I know, but I'm still so happy to have him back home again," said Saria.

"But that still doesn't explain why you're in such a giggly mood all of a sudden," said Spryte, "Did something wonderful happen when I wasn't looking or something?"

"Oh, nothing like that," Saria replied, "You see everything I do."

"Oh really? Then it must be something you're thinking about," Spryte deduced, "Are you still thinking about Link even though he's home?"

"Yes," Saria replied, "I still think about him. We've been best friends for years. And then, he goes away for over two years. I missed Link very much. There wasn't a night that went by that I didn't think about him. I sometimes stood at the bridge, wondering when he was going to come home... or at least stop by to visit. But when I got that first letter from him..."

"You cried for joy, didn't you? And quite literally too," Spryte finished, "I remember that day like it was yesterday. I had never seen you so happy... until the day Link showed up at the Sacred Forest Meadow two weeks ago."

"It's like I still want to spend a lot of time with him," Saria continued, "After being apart for so long, I guess I sorta want to make up for lost time, ya know?"

"Well, I kinda understand you wanting to see him so much, even though you see him everyday," said Spryte, "But what kind of thoughts do you have of him?"

"Oh all kinds," Saria replied, Most of the time, I just think about all the company we share, and how much joy I feel when we do. But, I've always enjoyed Link's company. Whether we're showing off neat things, playing our ocarinas, or just chatting about stuff, it was always about just being with each other."

"Yeah, you've always been particularly friendly and kind toward Link, more so than with any of the other boys," said Spryte.

"Because I've always thought he was the coolest out of all us Kokiri," Saria explained, "He was always as kind as he could be toward the others, despite feeling like an outcast. He was always so creative when it came to making things. He always thought of everyone else before himself. No matter what Mido and his gang thought of him, no matter if he had a fairy or not, I always thought Link was the coolest."

"And you were his first real friend too," said Spryte, "You stood up for him when Mido picked on him. After that, you spent a lot of time with him. And since then, the others began to open up to him too."

"Because they saw him as Link and not as the boy with no fairy," said Saria, "But yeah... that was when we became the best of friends."

"Well, dear, as nice as it is to take a stroll down memory lane together, what kind of thoughts do you have of Link **now**?" Spryte asked, sitting Indian-style and resting her chin on her clasped hands, still hovering in front of Saria.

Saria let out a sigh as she pondered her guardian fairy's question. She knew the kinds of thoughts she had of Link, as well as the feelings they brought with them. But, a lot of it was new to her. Something about how she felt was certainly different, and she really had to ponder it. But if anybody could help her to understand, it was Spryte.

"I think about how much cooler Link is now than when we first became friends," said Saria, "Not only is he kind, generous, and thoughtful of others, but he'll also go out of his way to help even a complete stranger. He's excellent with a sword, seeing how well he's teaching Kalo. He's great with his slingshot, his bow, and all of his neat little tools. He impressed me with the way he fought a Wolfos without all that neat stuff. And most of all... he can leave the forest and travel to so many different places, and then come back and share some really neat stories and new songs with us."

"I can see how that would amaze anyone in Kokiri Forest, let alone you," said Spryte.

"Yet, out of all the wonderful places out there, and despite the fact that he's growing up, he chose to live here in Kokiri Forest," Saria continued, "When he chose to stay, it made me so happy to have my best friend close to me. At least we could see each other everyday, have fun together, visit the Lost Woods, and many other stuff we always used to do. But now..."

"Oh?" Spryte said as her pointed ears perked up.

Saria closed her eyes as her more recent thoughts of Link flashed through her mind. Then, she opened her eyes, "Ever since he left to look for Navi, I've been yearning to see him again. I wondered if and when he'd ever come home again, when I'd gaze into his blue eyes again, and when I'd see him smile again. And when he did come home, I just wanted to hug him so tight and not let go. I really wanted him to know just how much I missed him. And I wanted him to hold me in his arms and never let go..."

As she explained, she felt her face warm up as her cheeks slowly began to redden, "Oh goddesses, this is embarrassing." And Saria flipped over in her bed and buried her face in her pillow in an attempt to hide her blushing.

However, it wasn't Saria's flushed face that Spryte had noticed, but something else entirely resting within her words. And upon that understanding, Spryte grinned. "You like Link, don't you?" she teased.

Saria felt herself blush even more as Spryte asked, pressing her flushed face deeper into her pillow. "Well, yes. We're best friends, aren't we?" she replied, her voice muffled by her pillow, as she desperately choked back another giggle.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," said Spryte, not buying Saria's response, "I can tell you have some kind of feelings for him. I've known you all your life, dear. You can tell your guardian fairy."

"Okay, okay," Saria surrendered as she flipped over onto her back, showing Spryte her beet red face.

"See, I told you," Spryte teased, containing some giggles of her own at the flushed Saria.

Saria took a deep breath, let out an audible sigh, and began, "Well, I don't know what it is. I know I see him all the time. But... everytime I do, everytime I spend time with him... I just... end up thinking about him more and more. It's like I want to be with him more and more, and I don't know why. Is it really because we've been apart for so long and I really missed him? Do I really want to make up for all the time we were apart?"

"Well, yes and no," Spryte replied as she stretched herself upright, "I know you missed Link so much and really yearned to see him again and be with him again. But I don't think it has anything to do with making up for lost time. When Link did come home, it was almost like you were never apart, and your friendship just continued from there. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I guess you're right," said Saria.

"Do continue, dear," Spryte encouraged.

"Well... I do. I think about him more and more," Saria continued, "When I think about him, when I talk to him, when I play with him, it just makes me feel very warm inside."

"And what about when you said you just wanted to hug him?" Spryte asked, "You've been doing that a lot more lately."

"Well, that's what friends do, right?" Saria explained, "I've hugged Fado a lot, I've hugged the twins a lot, and I've hugged some of the others too, and so has Link. But... lately... I've been **wanting** to hug Link. I've been **wanting** him to hug me. I don't know why, but I just feel so warm and happy when we hug... and... I really like being close to him."

"Like the night he saved you from the Wolfos, when you wanted him to hold you, right?" Spryte asked.

"Mmhmm. I just felt so happy to be in the arms of my best friend," Saria replied, "It made me feel even warmer inside when he so willingly held me in his arms. I even liked the compliments he gave me, saying that I'm kind and that I'm pretty, and making me feel all giddy." Saria couldn't help but blush and giggle at her own words.

"Well, you are pretty," said Spryte, "In fact, you're the prettiest of all the girls in Kokiri Forest. And I'm not just saying it because I'm your guardian fairy. Link notices it too, and felt that you should hear it from him."

"Believe me, I was more than just giddy," said Saria, "I really liked him holding me and telling me all those things. But why? We never used to be like this, and even then we were best friends."

"That's because you're growing up, dear," said Spryte, "Did you notice that you started feeling a little different toward your friends after the Great Deku Sprout told you that you were growing up?"

"Well... yes," Saria replied, thinking back on it, "Although I was shocked when he first told me, as I thought about it... I was actually happy. I was happy because now I get to grow up with Link, and I get to finally understand what he goes through growing up. After the initial shock went away..."

"That was when you started feeling differently toward him, right?" Spryte asked.

"No, not just different... but stronger too," said Saria, "I've always cared a lot about him. He's always meant a lot to me. That's why I wanted us to throw a welcome home party for him on his birthday."

"Well, my dear Saria, as you grow up you start expressing your feelings toward your friends, and especially Link, in many different ways," Spryte explained, "Your desire to be closer to him is one way. Wanting to welcome home in such a big way is another."

"So it's all normal for me to think about Link a lot and feel the way I do, huh?" Saria wondered.

"I'm sure it is," Spryte replied with a warm smile, "You're both growing up together, and thus your friendship is growing too. You'll start noticing more things about each other and expressing it in different ways. Link's compliments to you and how you feel toward him now versus before his two-year absence are examples of it."

"Yeah, but I still think about him and still care a lot about him," said Saria, "I'm still so happy to have him home that it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"Then do something for him," suggested Spryte, "Do something wonderful for him, something to really wow him. It'll really show him how much you really care about him."

As Spryte pitched her suggestion, the surprise party immediately came to Saria's mind, "But... I already did that. The surprise welcome home party, on Link's birthday no less, was my idea. Was it now?"

Spryte smiled and nodded.

"So you're saying do it again?" Saria asked.

"No, no, you got it all wrong, dear," said Spryte as she fluttered up to Saria and perched on the front of her shoulder, "The surprise party may have been your idea, but everyone helped plan the party and made it happen. You know it, and so does Link. What I'm saying is that you should do something wonderful for him on your own. It can be something small, or something big, as long as it's all you."

Saria rested her hands behind her head on the pillow and pondered Spryte's suggestion. She really wanted to show Link how much she thought of him, but the fact that she had to do it completely on her own challenged her.

After a few minutes of silence between them, Spryte stood up and flew off of Saria's shoulder. "You can take as long as you want to think about it," said Spryte as she hovered over the middle of Saria's bed, "But don't think too hard about it, okay?"

Suddenly, a thought struck Saria like lightning. "Actually... yes," she started as she recalled something Spryte was telling her, "You said we start to notice more and more as we grow up, right?"

"Yes," Spryte replied, "It's all part of growing up."

"Well, I might have just the thing," Saria continued, "I was going to do it for Link at the party, but it wasn't going to arrive in time. It didn't come until three days later. Then again, the party did happen pretty quick, so I wasn't disappointed at all." Then, she looked up from her pillow at the fluttering green fairy and smirked, "I still have it."

"Really?" said Spryte as her pointed ears perked up, "What is it? Where is it?"

"It's hiding in my wardrobe in one of the big drawers, all neatly stored," Saria replied, "Go take a look."

Spryte gladly obliged and flew over to Saria's wardrobe. Saria sat up on the edge of her bed as Spryte opened the wardrobe. Inside hung a number of green sleeveless tunics and dark green long-sleeved turtlenecks. Spryte opened one big drawer, which contained all of Saria's white undergarments and green shorts. But, when she opened the biggest drawer she gasped and covered her mouth with both hands at what she saw. "Oh my goddesses," she exclaimed as her aura shone a much paler green, "I...I...It's just...it's beautiful."

"Do you think Link will like it?" Saria asked.

"Like it? That's the understatement of the year," Spryte replied, fanning herself from the shock as she turned to Saria, "With something like that, he'll certainly notice you. But yes, I think he'll really like it."

"Great! Then I'll meet him tonight and show him," Saria said gleefully as she hopped up from her bed and snatched the bag containing her fairy ocarina from her nightstand.

"Tonight? Why tonight?" Spryte wondered, "Isn't it a little spontaneous?"

"Oh come on, tonight is perfect," said Saria as she ran to her door and slid her green boots back on, "It's such a beautiful late-spring day. So I'm sure tonight will be even more beautiful."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Spryte asked, stopping Saria from dashing outside.

"To the Sacred Forest Meadow to practice a few new songs," Saria replied.

"Oh. Okay, dear," Spryte replied. So she closed Saria's drawers and wardrobe and floated up beside her, "Let's go."

_Later, Hyrule Castle Town..._

Link had arrived at the bustling marketplace and begun his search for a gift for Saria. His previous searches through both the forest and Saria's books had yielded no results. However, being in Hyrule's biggest and busiest marketplace would not only give Link a much bigger selection of gifts than the forest, but also allow him to see and feel the gifts unlike shopping through books. And having ridden Epona the long distance from Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Castle Town, he had that much more time to browse all the shops and vendors for the perfect gift.

"Wow," Link gasped as he glanced all around the busy marketplace, "It's still morning and there's already a lot of people here."

"No kidding," Navi agreed.

"So many shops here now and I don't even know where to start," said Link.

"Well, you are here to look for a gift for Saria. So stick to places that sell gifts," suggested Navi, "But I'm sure there's something for everyone amongst all the amazing things here. So don't get sidetracked."

"Believe me, I won't distract that easily," said Link as he began to glance about the marketplace. He glanced at each of the shops, noting the ones that had signs. But so many shops only befuddled him even more. "You know, Navi...," Link started as more thoughts of his previous gift searches came to mind, "I... haven't really given a lot of gifts for people very much, let along actually looked for them. I know I've made things for some of the others at Kokiri Forest but this is way different."

"You're not sure what kind of gift to get for Saria, are you?" Navi said with a bit of a smirk.

"No," Link somberly replied, "This is all new to me."

"Well, a gift should be the giving of yourself," said Navi, "It's something you put a lot of thought and effort into, something from the heart, whether you find it, buy it, or make it."

"I see," Link replied, letting Navi's words sink in.

"The gifts themselves differ, though," Navi continued, "There are different gifts for different occasions and different people. In this case, you're getting a gift for your best friend. But, she's also a girl, one who's growing up just like you."

"Well... what do most girls like?" Link asked, "That might be a good place to start."

"That depends on the girl," Navi replied, "But, girls like all kinds of different gifts. They like flowers a lot, and flowers are good for any occasion."

"Flowers are pretty, and they smell good, but they don't last for very long," said Link.

"Well...," Navi started as she led Link through the crowd and toward one of the outdoor vendors, "For something that lasts much longer, girls like cute and plush stuffed animals too."

"And isn't the forest full of those, all kinds of animals," Link sarcastically commented as he noted the suggestion, "What else do girls like?"

"Let's see, they like sweet things like chocolate, candies, and pastries," said Navi, "They also like things that smell great like potpourri, incense, fragrances, and perfumes. They also like little trinkets too, small little artsy things and other cute little crafts to collect."

"Yeah, Fado just loved to collect stuff," Link commented, thinking back on the times he visited Fado's house and seeing her immense collection of knick-knacks, "But... I'm not sure about getting smell-good stuff made from things that come from the forests."

"Don't be silly. As much as the Kokiri love everything in the forest, they do use the stuff from the forest for foods, bathing, building, crafts, and stuff like that," Navi reassured.

"You got a point," said Link.

"Okay, others thing that girls really like, especially as they grow up, are accessories," said Navi, "They like to wear small little things with their clothing that stand out. The headbands that the girls in Kokiri Forest wear are one kind of accessory. Bracelets are another common accessory, as are flowers. But the most common accessory is jewelry. Necklaces, rings, earrings... girls love to wear them and show them off."

"Yeah, don't they ever," Link agreed with a slight chuckle, recalling such jewelry that he's seen on most girls outside of Kokiri Forest, Zelda included.

"Any of those would make fine gifts for Saria," said Navi, "You've known Saria all your life, minus a few years. So trust me, you'll know the right gift for her when you see it."

"I get it now," said Link as he began to browse the various vendors with a new sense of purpose, "Thank you, Navi."

"You're welcome, dear," Navi replied.

_Hours later... _

Link and Navi were having a wonderful time browsing all kinds of shops and vendors, all for a great gift for Saria. Their adventures started at a shop and a couple vendors selling stuffed animals. They had many different kinds of animals and monsters from all over Hyrule and even beyond. They came in different sizes and colors. However, as cute as some of the more familiar forest creatures were, none really spoke to Link as being the right gift.

Next, they browsed a number of florists and vendors selling flowers. Those shops and displays had much more variety and even more vibrant colors than the stuffed animal shops did. And their fine aroma brought much pleasure to both Link and Navi. Link noted flowers as a future gift for Saria and moved on. He had decided on something much more lasting to give to Saria for now.

And now, Link and Navi were browsing their second jeweler. After first browsing an outdoor vendor, they walked into Hyrule's most prestigious jeweler and began browsing.

"Welcome, young lad of the forest, to Hylian Fine Jewelry," the jeweler kindly greeted, "Is there something I can help you find?"

Link turned to the older gentleman. He was a well-dressed man, wearing a fine brown vest over a white long-sleeved shirt. His gray hair and beard were both short and neatly trimmed. Even the man's aura screamed out pure sophistication. "I'm just looking for something for a friend, that's all," Link replied.

"Ah, is it for a girl, perhaps?" the jeweler asked, "Perhaps a young lass of the forest?"

"Yeah," Link replied, "She's my best friend."

"Well, we have a nice selection of necklaces and pendants that'll be perfect for your friend," said the jeweler, waving his hand toward a particular display case full of necklaces and other jewelry. "We also have a few elegant bracelets that are perfect for anyone."

So Link began to look through the display case at all the fine necklaces and pendants. Some were simple gold or silver chains, while others were fine works of art studded with various different gemstones. However, after glancing at all the beautiful pieces of fine jewelry, one particular piece caught his eye.

It was a small golden pendant, only about a couple inches long, on a fine-link gold chain. It was teardrop-shaped, studded with six tiny cut diamonds and emeralds along the sculpted edge. In the center sat a large oval-shaped brilliant-cut blue sapphire, glistening marvelously under the light. "Wow, it matches the color of Saria's eyes," Link commented as his eyes glittered from the light reflecting off the gem.

"Ah, that is one of my newest additions," the jeweler explained, "You see, it's a raindrop locket. You can open it and put a picture inside of it. It would be perfect for any friend who wants to keep their memories close to them."

"Brilliant," Link commented, "A locket that would remind her of the forest rain, huh?" And she can keep a picture of her best friend in it too?"

"Yes," the jeweler replied, "But, this is only a display unit, a fake. But if you like it, I'm making a real one right now. I assure you, it's gold will gleam much brighter and the gems sparkle much more vivaciously than this fake. Your young friend will surely adore it."

Link turned to the glowing blue fairy hovering over his right shoulder, "Navi, I think I found my gift for Saria."

"That's great. It certainly is beautiful," Navi commented, "I'm very sure Saria will like it. I just can't wait to see the real one."

"I'll take it," Link said rather eagerly, reaching into his item bag for his rupee wallet, "How much?"

"Let's see here. That locket will cost 1200 rupees," the jeweler replied.

"What? 1200 rupees?" Navi exclaimed.

"Wow!" Link also exclaimed, his hand pausing in his item bag, "I never knew jewelry could be so expensive."

"Well, it is top-quality jewelry, after all," the jeweler explained, "Some of the more regal and highly ornate pieces of jewelry are much more expensive than this locket."

"Wow..." said Link, astonished at what he heard as he resumed fumbling in his item bag.

"Are you sure you want to give Saria such an expensive gift?" Navi asked Link, "And can you afford it?"

"Of course I can afford it," Link replied as he extracted his rupee wallet, "But yes... I'm very sure. Saria means so much to me, has done so much for me, and has always been there for me for so long. This locket is perfect for her. I don't care how expensive it is... she deserves it."

"Well, it's going to take some time to finish the locket," said the jeweler, at which Link frowned, "But, for you and your young lass, I'll work very hard on it and have it ready as soon as possible. You can't rush art, you know. So just pay the 1200 rupees, and I'll give you a voucher and get to work on it. I'll send a postman your way when it's done."

"So I just wait and bring the voucher, huh?" Link said rather uneasily.

"Yes. But worry not, young lad, I assure you I'll work as hard as I can to finish it for you," said the jeweler, reassuring Link, "There are many customers who can vouch for me. In fact, I've even crafted some jewelry for the Royal Family."

"Brilliant," said Link. He extracted 1200 rupees from his wallet and paid the gentleman. In return, the gentleman handed Link a rolled up sheet of parchment, a letter proving that Link had ordered the locket and paid for it in full. "I'll have to keep this in my item bag where it'll be safe," said Link as he did just that, and then turned back to the jeweler, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. The young lass is really blessed to have a friend like you," said the jeweler.

'Yeah, and I'm lucky to have her too,' Link thought to himself as he and Navi left the jewelry store.

"Back to Kokiri Forest, Link?" Navi asked.

"Yep, let's go," Link replied.

And so they began their trek through the even more crowded marketplace. But, the crowd didn't bother Link as he had decided to walk more leisurely now that he had finished shopping. He was pretty excited about the gift he had gotten for Saria. And the fact that he had to wait for it only made him more anxious. He couldn't wait to see the finished locket. And more than that, he couldn't wait to see the look on Saria's face when he gives it to her.

As he neared the fountain in the middle of the marketplace, Link noticed a young couple gazing into each other's eyes. The talk, slim, and well-dressed man had his arms around the woman's waist, while the shorter, petite, and elegant woman had her arms over the man's shoulders. Link noticed the sparkle in their eyes as they drew each other closer and pressed their lips together in a very blissful kiss. Such as sight stopped Link dead in his tracks and melted his heart. Along with that, a warm smile formed on his face.

"Something wrong, dear?" Navi wondered, completely oblivious to Link's smile.

"That young couple over there," Link replied pointed to the kissing couple.

Navi looked in that direction, and her heart also melted at what she saw, "Ah yes, they're quite an adorable couple, aren't they?"

"Yes I would say," Link replied, "But what is it they're doing, putting their lips together like that?"

"Well, dear, that... is a kiss," Navi replied.

"A kiss, huh? I've seen it a few times before during all my travels, but why do people do that?" Link wondered.

"Let's see, a kiss is what a man gives to a woman, or a woman gives to a man, whom they truly care about," Navi explained, "It's one of many other ways such feelings can be expressed."

"Yeah, when I first saw it, I was like _'ugh'_," said Link, "But, as I saw it more and more, I became curious about it."

"Well, you're growing up, Link. And as you grow up, you become curious about more and more things," Navi explained, "So where else have you seen couples kiss.

"Before I left Termina, I saw Anju and Kafei get back together after Kafei's curse was lifted," Link explained, "Anju was the kind but scatterbrained innkeeper in Clock Town, while Kafei was the son of Clock Town's mayor. But when they got back together, that was the first time I saw a kiss... the one that repulsed me. Another one I saw was in Labrynna. After I rescued the Oracle of Ages, she and Prince Ralph reunited, and they kissed just like that couple over there, just like Anju and Kafei did.

"And did Anju care about Kafei, and Ralph care about the Oracle of Ages?" Navi asked.

"Well, Anju and Kafei were supposed to get married," Link replied, "Anju had me do things for her, and Kafei had me do things for him. What I didn't know was that I was helping them to get back together and carry on with their wedding plans. But yes, they cared a lot about each other. As for Ralph and the Oracle of Ages, they were childhood friends."

"Kind of like you and Saria, huh?" said Navi.

Link averted his eyes downward at Navi. She was comparing his relationship with Saria to Ralph's and the Oracle's. He had to admit, though, Navi was right. "Yeah, a lot like me and Saria," Link replied.

Navi smiled at him, "Come on, Link, don't think too hard on it. You are growing up, after all. One day, you'll understand. Come on, let's get some food for the others and go back home."

"That's right, Saria wanted me to bring home some of the great food from here for everyone," Link replied with a newfound energy filling him. And so they navigated through the crowd of people and made their way toward one of the food vendors.

'One day... right,' Navi thought to herself a little sarcastically, 'He's growing so mature beyond his age after so many adventures, that day may come very soon, I just know it.'

_end of chapter 7_

_

* * *

_

And now Saria feels the same way Link does. Their friendship is truly growing. But what are her plans for him? And with Link getting a very nice gift for Saria, although he has to wait for it, we can only wonder what's to come for the both of them. This chapter was meant to have more content, but I had to split it up because it ended up being so much longer than my previous chapters. Chapter 8 is nearly finished and should be up pretty soon. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	9. Chapter 8: Under The Moonlight

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 8

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. As promised, here's Chapter 8. Now that Link and Saria both know of the feelings they have for each other, how will they act on it? And what are Saria's plans for Link? Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 8: Under The Moonlight

_Later, Kokiri Forest..._

After getting all kinds of exotic fruits, tasty fruit bread, and meats from Hyrule Castle Town, Link had ridden Epona back to Kokiri Forest. Link tossed the large and heavy sack over his shoulder and struggled with it into the forest. He lugged it across the rope bridge leading to Kokiri Forest, nearly losing his footing twice on the shaky bridge. When he finally entered the village, a Kokiri girl with blond pigtails ran up to him and greeted him. "Hi Link, you're back."

"Hi Fado," Link greeted. Then, he dropped the heavy sack on the ground with an audible thud.

"Oooh, what'd you bring?" Fado asked, curiously eyeing the sack.

"Just a bunch of tasty food from the castle town for everyone," Link replied.

"Alright," Fado cheered. "I love tasty food."

"I'm going back to my house for a bit," said Link as he walked past Fado. "Make sure everyone gets some, okay?"

"Okay," Fado replied as she dug into the bag of food.

Soon, Link climbed up his ladder and entered his house. But as he walked inside, he found a sealed envelope lying in the middle of his bed. "Wow, Link, you got another letter," said Navi.

Link ran to his bed and grabbed the envelope from his bed. But when he examined it, the wax seal bore no symbol and the letter had bore neither recipient nor sender. "Hmmm... I wonder who sent this letter," Link said to no one in particular as he broke the seal and opened the envelope. When he removed the letter and unfolded it, he immediately recognized the handwriting. "Wow, it's from Saria."

..

_"My dear friend Link,_

_I found a really neat place in the Lost Woods that I want to show you. Please meet me in the Lost Woods this evening just after sundown... and come alone. If you're wondering where in the Lost Woods to meet me, just follow the music and you'll find me. I'll see you tonight._

_Your best friend in the world,_

_Saria"_

_..  
_

"Come alone, huh? Navi commented.

"I guess she means that you and Spryte are staying home," said Link.

"But why would she not want us fairies... uh-huh," Navi asked, stopping herself as she quickly knew the answer.

"Maybe she just wants to be with me without Spryte around for once," Link guessed. "I can't say I blame her. It's like sometimes we just want some time to ourselves. 'Ya know?"

'He's so naïve,' Navi inwardly commented. 'I know why Saria wants him to come alone. But, what does **she **have planned? I'll have to ask Spryte and see what see knows.'

"Come to think of it, I've never really been alone with Saria before. She's always had Spryte around," said Link. "It would be such a perfect time to give her the locket, but it's not ready yet. But at least I can be alone with her for once."

"So this means I won't be coming?" Navi asked.

"Right," Link replied. "It'll be really nice to be alone with my best friend without our fairies around. So yeah, I **do** want to go alone."

"Okay, dear. I won't stop you," said Navi, smiling at Link. "You two have a good time, okay?"

Link smiled back at his guardian fairy, "Thanks, Navi."

"You're welcome," Navi replied before she turned to leave Link's house. 'I wonder what they're going to talk about... or do... without us around,' she inwardly asked herself. 'I'm so curious of what tonight will bring for the both of them, of what Saria has planned, and how Link will take it. I really want to know.'

_That evening..._

The sun had already set over Kokiri Forest, painting the sky in a beautiful combination of blue and violet. The first stars had also just begun to peek through the twilit sky. Just as the first crickets began chirping their evening song, Link emerged from his house with a lantern in his right hand. "I'm going, Navi," he announced through his open door curtain.

"Okay. You kids have a good time," Navi replied. "See you when you get home."

Link then climbed down his latter and took a few steps. Then, he checked over himself in the light of his lantern. He wore his usual green tunic and hat, his white undershirt and tights, and brown belt and boots. However, he wore neither his gloves nor his red and brown bracers. He didn't even carry his heavy Hylian Shield or his item bag; rather he carried his sword, ocarina in its protective pouch, and his lantern. It was about as neat as he could look while wearing his modified Kokiri outfit. After passing his own inspection, Link turned toward the Lost Woods and made his way up the hill.

Once he entered the Lost Woods, everything fell dark all around him. Under the twilit skies, the thick canopy of the many trees certainly blackened the forest as if it were midnight. The only forms that Link could make out were the fireflies flitting about, and everything else that the light from his lantern touched. So with that little bit of light in hand, Link navigated the rather gloomy woods, sticking to the familiar paths.

After a few minutes of trekking though the dark forest, the soft melody of an ocarina began to echo through the forest. Link's pointed ears perked up as the sweet melody reached him. He stopped, closed his eyes, and listened not only for where the melody was coming from, but also the melody itself.

'I've never heard Saria play this song before,' Link thought to himself as he listened to the song. It was a rather sweet-sounding Celtic tune. While it wasn't an overly festive song, it wasn't a lullaby either. Nevertheless, it warmed Link to his very soul. He smiled and opened his eyes, and then followed the sweet Celtic melody through the Lost Woods.

..

Meanwhile, back at Saria's house, Spryte sat in her little basket bed that hung above Saria's nightstand. It was one of very few times in Saria's life that Spryte and Saria were apart. And that fact made Spryte feel rather lonely as she let out a somber sigh. 'She's growing up, after all,' she thought to herself. 'Of course she's going to want to spend more time alone. She's so mature for her apparent age. But, she's still a child, and I still worry about her.'

As she pondered, a glowing blue orb of light slipped inside through Saria's door curtain, gently fluttering its wings. "Good evening, Navi," Spryte greeted.

"Good evening, Spryte," Navi replied. "I figured I'd find you here."

"Yeah, Saria wanted to be alone with Link tonight... without us around," said Spryte.

"I know. Link and I read her letter," said Navi. "I bet you're feeling pretty lonely without Saria around, huh?"

"You can say that again," Spryte agreed. "I bet you're used to not having Link around after being apart for so long."

"Well... yes," Navi replied. "It wasn't easy at first, but after a while, I got used to it."

Spryte smiled, figuring that if Navi could live it, she could too. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But, you seem to be having a hard time dealing with tonight as well."

"Well, it's not that I'm lonely. I'm just so curious about what they're going to do, that I just want to follow Link to Saria, hide in a bush, and watch," Navi explained.

As Navi explained, a mischievous grin slowly formed on Spryte's face. "So, you want to see them, huh?"

"Yes!" Navi blurted.

"Well, we don't have to follow Link, you know," said Spryte as she floated up from her basket bed and toward the door. "Because I know where Saria is. Now are we going or not?"

"Yes! Let's go," Navi eagerly replied as she and Spryte flitted out of Saria's house and toward the Lost Woods.

..

Back in the Lost Woods, Link continued to follow Saria's new melody through the dense and dark woods, with his lantern providing the only light. However, that small amount of light made following the music much more difficult. Link couldn't see any familiar landmarks and thus could not tell where he was. And suddenly, to make matters worse, the song ended and silence fell upon the forest.

"Oh great, the song's over," Link said to himself as he stopped. "And it was such a pretty song too."

Link then kept silent and listened for the ocarina, waiting patiently for Saria to start playing again. But he didn't have to wait for very long as Saria's ocarina began to echo through the woods again. And when the first few measures reached Link's pointed ears, he took off running toward the song. It was a song that was not only beautiful, but also familiar.

"I know this song," Link said to himself as he ducked and ran through an old hollow log. "I taught it to her."

The song was none other than the very song the Oracle of Ages had taught him before leaving Labrynna. And with such a familiar song guiding him, Link quickly knew where the song was coming from and how close he really was to it. So he ran through the woods, dodging trees and shrubs as he followed Saria's ocarina.

Moments later, over halfway through the song, Link reached a large opening in the forest. He saw the dark blue sky, dotted with many stars as twilight became night. The full moon had just risen over the treetops, bathing the great opening in its pure light. In the middle of the opening sat a rather large lake. Although it wasn't nearly as big as Lake Hylia, the moonlight glistening on its surface captivated Link with its beauty. "Wow, I've never seen this place before," Link gasped, barely above a whisper.

After a brief moment of awe, Link snapped out of it as the music once again grabbed his attention. 'That's right... Saria,' Link reminded himself as he started to look around for the green-haired girl. 'Where is she?" I know she's close.'

Sure enough, Link found Saria. She was sitting on a tree stump by the water's edge over 30 meters in front of him, with her back turned to him, playing the Oracle's song on her fairy ocarina. Link smiled at her beautiful moonlight recital and set his lantern gently on the ground. Then, he reached for his own fairy ocarina at his right hip. 'We'll finish the song together,' Link thought to himself as he grabbed his ocarina and brought it up to his lips. He waited for Saria to reach the final verse of the song, and then closed his eyes and joined her in the melody, knowing that she would hear him.

After finishing the song, Link opened his eyes to see Saria bow her head down and clutch her ocarina against her chest. Although she had her back turned to him, Link noticed something very different about her. So Link put his ocarina away, grasped his lantern, and slowly stepped toward her. And as he did, Saria set her ocarina down and stood up from the tree stump.

When she did, Link took a closer look at Saria's back and inwardly gasped as he immediately noticed the differences. The first thing he noticed was that she wasn't wearing her usual dark green long-sleeved turtleneck. He could clearly see the skin of her arms, shoulders, and the mostly-exposed upper back through her sleeveless top. At the small of her back sat a large and beautifully tied bow.

But when Saria turned and stepped around the stump to face him, Link's eyes popped wide open and he gasped loudly, his heart skipping a beat. He saw that Saria wasn't wearing her usual shorts at all, but a skirt. He slowly examined her, starting from the top. She wore a beautiful light spring green sleeveless dress. It had a corset-style piped bodice fitted closely to her young figure, with a bordered sweetheart neckline and wonderfully-detailed embroidered floral and leaf accents. She wore a beautiful ribbon sash around her waist, decorated in the front with beaded floral patterns. And her skirt was rather simple, with embroidered floral accents near the bordered hem, cut just below her knees. And Saria didn't wear her green boots either, but rather a lovely pair of brown dress sandals. They had a single wide strap over her open toes, a pair of crisscrossed straps over her instep and around her ankles to the back of her heel, and a single strap from the inch-high block heel around the front of her ankle. All of it made for a very elegant-looking Saria.

"Saria...," Link gasped.

"Hi there, Link," Saria greeted with a very warm smile and her hands behind her back.

"You're... not wearing your tunic," Link gasped, still completely astonished at her appearance. With his mouth hanging and his eyes wide open, he looked her over from shoulders to toes, and then back up to her pretty smiling face. She still wore her favorite dark green headband, but tonight it held a white rose just above and in front of her pointed left ear. "You're beautiful," Link gasped, "... just... absolutely... beautiful."

"You really like it?" Saria asked. She then brought her arms out to her sides and spun around on her toes, letting her skirt flow outward.

"Like it? That's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. It looks brilliant on you," Link replied.

"Thank you," said Saria, showing her warmest smile.

"You're just so beautiful...," Link started, then hesitated. "What's the occasion?"

"You," Saria replied, still smiling.

"Me?" Link wondered.

"Yep. You've been gone for so long on some pretty wild adventures. And now, you've come back home again... two weeks ago tonight," said Saria.

"But... but... didn't you already plan the surprise party for me on my birthday?" Link asked.

"Well, yeah, but it ended up being everyone else's idea too," Saria replied. She then walked up to Link and wrapped her arms around his chest, hugging him tightly. "This is **my** way of welcoming you home."

Link set his lantern down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, returning her embrace, "It feels good to be back home, back with my best friend." And as he hugged her, he noticed something else about her dress and began to feel at her shoulders with his finger tips. 'Wow, her dress is so soft... almost like silk,' Link thought to himself.

After a few moments in each other's arms, Saria let go first and looked into Link's blue eyes. "Come, Link. Come sit with me at the water's edge," she suggested.

"Okay," Link replied. He bent down and picked up his lantern as Saria turned around and walked toward the lake. He opened the lantern and blew out the flame, leaving the full moon to light up the clearing in the forest. Then, Link walked toward the lake as Saria retrieved her ocarina from the tree stump. Then, they sat together in the grass, not more than a few meters from the water's edge. Link sat on his bottom with his legs in front of him, while Saria sat on her knees to his left in a much more modest manner.

"Nice night," Link commented.

"Yep. There's a full moon out tonight," said Saria. "There was a full moon on the night before you left too."

"Yeah... I remember gazing up at it the night when I left," said Link. "When I did, I thought about you, and how we should've spent a night like this together before I left."

"I know, me too," said Saria. "Now, we finally get to sit together like this under the full moon."

"Yep," Link replied. He leaned back, using his arms for support, and gazed up at the moon. No matter how many times he had seen the full moon during his adventures, its beauty always managed to captivate him. But tonight was different, for the only thing more captivating than the full moon was the green-haired girl in the beautiful spring green dress sitting next to him. Link just couldn't take his eyes off of her for very long.

"Hey Saria, how'd you manage to find a dress like that?" Link asked.

"Well...," Saria began, her eyes not averting from the moon, "I looked in a book that had pictures of all kinds of girls' dresses. I saw this dress, I wanted it, and so I sent a letter to order it right after you came back. I actually wanted to wear it at the party, but it didn't make it here in time. It didn't come in until three days later."

"I see now," Link replied. "So you kept it this whole time?"

"Of course," Saria replied. "I knew that I was going to wear it soon. I really wanted to show it off to you. I just didn't know when I would until this morning."

"So how'd you pay for such an elegant dress? It must've been expensive," Link wondered.

"It was," Saria replied. "All those rupees I won over the many times I practiced at the Deku's shooting target really paid off. And I still have some left over too."

"Brilliant," said Link. He once again looked up and down Saria, admiring not only how perfect her dress looked on her, but also how perfectly it fit her. "How did you get it to fit you so perfectly without first being measured for it," he asked, "Especially since you're growing up now?"

"Ohhh, I think I know my own measurements," Saria replied, turning her head to face Link. "Actually, I had Spryte measure me after my birthday so I could have some new tunics and shirts made. So I remembered the measurements she took of me."

"You really are something, you know?" Link commented as he turned his eyes toward the glistening lake.

Saria smiled and scooted herself just a little closer to Link, and then turned her eyes back toward the lake. "Do you remember the first time we sat together like this?" she asked.

"Yes," Link replied as he thought back on that day. "I believe I was six years old, and you still looked of a 10 or 11-year-old. I came to you crying that day because Mido and his gang were picking on me. You took me into your arms and comforted me. It was the first hug I'd ever gotten, or remember getting. Then, we sat together near the passage out of Kokiri Forest and looked up at the clouds in the sky. We played a little game, telling each other what the clouds looked like. We were already friends then, but that was the day when we told each other that we were very best friends... forever."

"Actually... you had just turned seven," said Saria as she smiled. "But, I'm glad you remembered. It' the day we became best friends, after all, and something I'll always cherish."

"Me too," Link replied with a warm smile, turning to look into Saria's beautiful sapphire eyes.

Saria then picked up her ocarina and placed it to her lips. She played a few rapid scales to quickly warm up. Then, she closed her eyes and began to play another sweet Celtic style melody, one that was much more relaxing than her first song.

"Wow, I've never heard that song before," Link said softly. He closed his eyes and listened to Saria's beautiful melody. 'This is one of the prettiest songs I've ever heard, right up there with the Oracle's song,' he thought to himself as Saria continued playing.

Moments later, after Saria finished her song, she opened her eyes and turned to Link. "So, what did you think of the song?" she asked.

"That was a brilliant song," Link replied. "It's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I've never heard you play that song before, nor the one you played before the Oracle's song."

Saria giggled, "Well, you're not the only one who's been learning new songs in the couple years you've been gone."

"Yeah, I understand," said Link. "Did you write those songs?"

"Of course I did, silly," Saria replied. "I write most of my own songs, you know. It's quite seldom that the forest spirits teach me a song."

"Yeah, you're really something with your ocarina," said Link. "I, on the other hand, learned all my songs from a lot of other people. I could never write songs like you can."

"Hey now, there's nothing wrong with learning songs from others," Saria reassured. "Besides, didn't I just recently learn a bunch of new songs from you?"

Link chuckled lightly, "Yeah, you got a point."

"And you've gotten really good at playing the ocarina too," Saria continued. "I'm sure you've impressed all kinds of people out there with your ocarina."

Link then looked at Saria and smiled, "I still remember the day you first taught me how to play the ocarina."

"You do?" said Saria as she scooted herself almost right up next to Link, eager to hear the story.

"Yep, I'll never forget that day. It was in the second month of autumn, and I was nine years old," Link explained. "You were playing your ocarina on the high hilltop in the middle of the village. I stood near the bottom and looked up at you, captivated by the song you were playing. It was your newest song, so I was very interested in it. When you finished, you looked down at me and asked if I wanted to learn how to play too. So I ran to the back of your house, climbed up to the bridge, and ran across to you. And from then on, you taught me everything there was to know about playing the ocarina. You even gave me my very own ocarina when I first left the forest."

He then pushed himself back up upright and crossed his legs, sitting Indian-style. "It's because you taught me how to play the ocarina that I was able to make it on a lot of my adventures," he said with a smile. "Thank you so much, Saria."

Saria smiled very warmly at Link's compliment. Then, she leaned into Link and wrapped arms around his chest in a close embrace. She laid her head against the front of his left shoulder and moved her legs out from under her, letting her leaning hold her up. "You're very welcome," she replied. "I'm so happy that you remembered."

In return, Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders and squeezed her affectionately. "Yep, I remember a lot of things between us."

"Do you remember back when you first participated in the summer festival?" Saria asked.

"Do I ever," Link replied. "Mido finally let me be in the play when I was eight years old, but I had to play his little slave boy. Of course, I was a bit bummed about being made into his whipping boy. But, you were very happy for me, happy that I finally got to be in the play. You even showed me that it was pretty cool since I didn't need to learn very many lines. Goddesses, do I ever suck at plays. And, you even helped me make my mask for the role. Sure, I've made things before, but you really helped me out a lot... and made my first play a wonderful experience."

"Mmhmmm," Saria acknowledged, squeezing Link gently. "You were always good at making things, you know. You didn't need my help, but you still gladly accepted it."

"Of course... just having your company made me feel so much better," said Link as he began to lightly stroke the back of Saria's shoulder. "I've always enjoyed your company, whether you were helping me with the play, teaching me the ocarina, or we were just playing together. Even now, it doesn't matter what we do... I just like being with you."

Saria felt her cheeks begin to blush at Link's comment. She pressed her cheek tightly against his shoulder, squeezed him affectionately, and giggled. Link stopped stroking her shoulder and glared at her rather insincerely, holding back a chuckle, "And what's so funny?"

"Oh... nothing," Saria replied. Then, she slid her left hand from around Link and laid it on his chest. "It's just... I've always liked being with you too. I've always liked playing with you ever since you were little, when we first became friends. I've always liked spending a lot of time with you, even though Mido didn't like it when I spent more time with you and stood up for you more than anyone else. But I didn't care what Mido thought... I just liked being with you... even right now."

"Yeah, we've been best friends for so long," said Link. "You've always stood up for me, you've always been there for me, and you've always been kind to me and supported me. It didn't matter what Mido or any of the others thought. We were always friends and liked being with each other."

"Well...," Saria began as she started drawing circles on Link's chest with her pointer finger, "I always thought you were the coolest out of everyone in Kokiri Forest, fairy or no fairy."

"Link's pointed hears perked up at both the compliment and Saria's rather stimulating finger motions on his chest, "Oh really? Why did you think that?"

"Because... you were so fascinating in so many ways," Saria explained. "You had a very strong spirit, you showed a lot of potential, you were always kind to everyone, and you were different... like me. You tried your hardest in everything you did, whether when playing games or fitting in with the rest of us. Finally, you had this aura about you that I always admired... something that the Great Deku Tree saw in you that made you so very fascinating. I saw you for how amazing you really were, while Mido became very jealous of you."

"Yeah... somehow, as I grew older, I started thinking that Mido was always mean to me out of jealousy," said Link.

"Mmhmmm. I could tell you started thinking that the day you started standing up to Mido on your own," said Saria as she slid her hand up Link's chest to his shoulder and gave it a tender squeeze. Then, she resumed tracing her finger along his chest.

Link let out a very contented sigh, "So many memories." His sigh, however, wasn't just for the memories, but also for the pretty young girl in his arms. And at that thought, he smiled.

"Yep, memories that we'll always share together," said Saria. "We'll always play together, sit together, and whatever... as long as we always enjoy each other's company."

Link's eyes averted slightly, "Yeah... I had to go two long years without your company, without seeing your face or hearing your songs." Then, he tightened their embrace, "I thought about you so much and wondered when I was going to see you again. There were so many times during my adventures that I just wanted to turn around and come back home to see you again... but..."

"That meant leaving Navi behind, right?" said Saria as she let her hand slide slowly up and down his chest.

"Yes... although I would've been with you again, it just wouldn't have felt right... knowing that I'd left my friend to fate just to have your company," Link somberly explained.

"Well, you have my company **now**, that's what matters," said Saria. "Actually... I admire that about you. You'll never sell your friends out or leave them behind. I would've been very happy if you just came back home, even for a visit. But I'm even happier that you found Navi **and** came back home. You really are a wonderful friend to have."

"Yep, no matter where in the world I've traveled, no matter what amazing places I've seen, there's no place like home," said Link as he squeezed Saria very tenderly. "Home... with my best friend in the whole world... and the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

"Now stop it, Link," said Saria, burying her face into the front of his shoulder as she felt her cheeks flush. "You're making me feel all giddy."

"What? I'm being honest," Link replied as he tightened their embrace and began to caress Saria's exposed upper back. 'Her skin... it feels so smooth... like silk,' he thought to himself as he gently stroked and caressed her back.

"Mmmm... that feels good," said Saria, her voice being muffled by her face being buried in Link's shoulder, as his gentle touch excited the nerves throughout her body.

"Huh?" Link wondered, unable to make out Saria's words.

"Oh nothing," Saria replied more audibly. Then, she removed her face from Link's shoulder and laid her cheek back onto it. "But yes... I thought about you a lot too, ever since the day you left. For the first few months after you left, I did my best to stay my usual cheerful self, and I did it quite well too. But, I still couldn't get you off my mind. I would often sit at the bridge, sometimes playing my ocarina, just to wait for you to come and visit. And, when I got your first letter and read it, all I could do is cry."

"You cried when you finally got a letter from me?" Link asked, still gently stroking Saria's bare upper back.

"Mmhmmm," Saria replied as Link's touch slowly began to take her under its spell. "You made me so happy... happy that you were still out there, that you were okay, and most of all... that you thought about me."

"Yeah... those thought of you, that yearning to see you again, was what kept me going on my adventure," said Link. "When I defeated Dark Link and finally reunited with Navi, I came back to Hyrule as quickly as I could. When I did, I snuck through the Lost Woods and bypassed Kokiri Forest. I wanted **you** to be the first to know that I was home."

"That was so thoughtful of you," said Saria as she removed her left hand from Link's chest and wrapped that arm around him, squeezing him affectionately. "Even with all the letters, I still wanted to see your face again. I wanted us to play together again. I wanted your company again. And when you finally came home, I just wanted to hug you so tightly and never let go."

"Me too, Saria...," said Link as he wrapped both his arms around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly, "...me too. If Navi had not interrupted, I don't know how long I would've held you."

Saria smiled and closed her eyes, nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, and squeezed him tightly. There, she relaxed and enjoyed the very tender company they were keeping. To Saria, being this close to Link was heaven. But somehow, she felt like something was missing. And when she wiggled her back slightly, the tingling feeling was gone as Link's hand was no longer there. "Link, why'd you stop?" she pouted.

"Stop what?" Link wondered.

"Your hand rubbing my bare back... that felt really good," she softly replied.

So Link gladly obliged and brushed the backs of his fingers up and down Saria's exposed upper back. The feel of her bare skin against his fingers was a sensation that was totally new to Link. Saria had always worn her usual green sleeveless tunic just like all the other girls did. But, she also wore a dark green long-sleeve turtleneck under it, and therefore showed very little skin. Link had to admit, he liked the sensation just as much Saria seemed to be. "You sure are acting a little strange," Link teased as he caressed her back.

"Well, I've missed you," said Saria. "And... I'm really really enjoying your company."

"We never used to be like this... you know, hugging a lot and holding each other like this... and we were still best friends," Link commented, smiling as he let his hand slide up her back, his fingertips brushing the tips of her shoulder-length green hair.

"I know," Saria softly replied. "I don't know why, but... ever since you came home, I just didn't want to let you go. I know we hug all the time, that's what friends do. But... I... like it when we hug each other."

"Really?" Link wondered, cocking an eyebrow as he turned his head to meet Saria's beautiful sapphire eyes.

"Mmhmmm," Saria replied, closing her eyes and snuggling against Link a little. "I...I really like being in your arms. It makes me feel so warm inside, being so close to my very best friend. It must be because we're growing up together now. And I'm really happy that I'm growing up with you."

"Yeah. You remember that backrub you gave me after the party?" said Link. "Whatever you're feeling right now as I'm rubbing yours... that's how it felt."

Saria giggled softly, "I knew you really liked it, and not just because it made your back feel better."

"Well, it was because I was getting a backrub not from a stranger, but from someone I really care a lot about, and think a lot about," Link explained. "And... your hands felt really nice on my back."

"I care a lot about you too, Link," said Saria. "I've always cared a lot about you, ever since we first became friends. That's why I was so sad to see you go when you first left the forest. That's why I couldn't help crying when you left to go look for Navi."

"And it's also why you've been there for me so much, right?" Link asked.

"Yep," Saria replied, giving Link a friendly squeeze. "And it's also why I've missed you so much."

"So is that why you've been going through such great lengths to welcome me home?" Link asked. "You planned a big welcome home party on my birthday... and on short notice. Now, you're showing off a very beautiful dress. You've always impressed me, and you never cease to impress me."

"Mmhmmm," Saria replied. "It's because you're my very best friend in the whole world, and I really care a lot about you. I just wanted to show you how much I missed you and how much you mean to me."

"Well, you've really done an amazing job of it," said Link, still gently stroking Saria's exposed upper back. "It was the best party I ever had, one I will remember for a very long time. And tonight..." He paused and turned to glance at Saria's pretty face, "You really outdid yourself, because you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Saria giggled almost uncontrollably, squirming in Link's arms. "Now you're just making me feel all giddy on purpose," she said before settling down and snuggling comfortably against Link. "But... I like it when you say really nice things about me and make me feel all giddy. Because... it shows me that you really care."

"Well, I'm being honest," said Link. "You're already the prettiest girl in Kokiri Forest, and the prettiest girl I've ever known. And that beautiful dress just suits you so perfectly."

Saria looked up into Link's blue eyes and smiled, "Prettier than that dancer girl from Holodrum?"

Link chuckled softly and smiled, "Oh yes, much prettier than the Oracle of Seasons."

Saria giggled and let out a very contented sigh. Then, she laid her head against Link's shoulder, closed her eyes, and tightened her arms around Link. "I'm so happy to have you back home," she softly said.

"Me too, Saria," Link agreed. He stopped caressing her back and wrapped both arms around her shoulders, pulling her tighter against him. "I'm so glad to be back home with my best friend in the whole world."

And so they sat there by the beautiful glistening late, under the moonlit sky, holding each other very tenderly. There, they remained silent and just enjoyed being in each others' arms. It was an evening that they could just be alone together, without their guardian fairies around, and share their most tender memories and most tender feelings with each other. It was an evening of pure bliss for both of them.

However, moments later, Link couldn't help but think about how perfect tonight was to give her that locket he had ordered for her. Here, Saria had gone to great lengths to make herself absolutely stunning for him, while he had to wait for goddesses knew how long for his gift to her to be finished. He couldn't help but to feel he was at a bit of a loss.

"You know, Saria," he began.

"Hmm?" Saria replied.

"You've done so much for me since I came home," said Link. "I just... wish I had something for you."

"Oh Link, you really are too kind," said Saria as she affectionately squeezed him. "Just having you here with me... being this close... is what I really cherish most."

"Yeah, you're right," said Link, returning Saria's affectionate squeeze. "We've been apart for so long. Just being together again and close like this is sorta like a gift in itself, huh?"

"Mmhmmm," Saria replied. "Just coming back home after traveling the world so long and sharing all your wonderful experiences and great new songs are simply the greatest gifts you've given me."

'Yeah, perhaps,' Link thought to himself as he tightened their embrace. 'But, I spent much of the day at Hyrule Castle Town just to look for a gift for her. And I found that perfect gift too, but I have to wait for it to be finished. Maybe I should've gotten her some flowers for tonight while I'm waiting for the locket. But she's right... just being here with her, holding her in my arms, makes me... no, us... happy.'

And as he held her in his arms under the moonlight, Link began to think about others he had seen hold each other like he and Saria were. He thought about Anju and Kafei back in Termina, and how they not only hugged, but also held each other close when they reunited. Then, he thought about Ralph and the Oracle of Ages. When Link had rescued her from Veran's curse, she and Ralph hugged each other much in the same way that he and Saria did when he came home. They even kissed too, and then held each other very much like he and Saria were tonight. At that moment, Link began to understand just how much those couples meant to each other and how they expressed it.

'_Since you're growing up together... your friendship is growing too,'_ Navi's words echoed through his mind. _'And as it grows, you'll start expressing your feelings in different ways.'_

Link and Saria were certainly expressing their friendship in new and wonderful ways, ever since he returned to Hyrule two weeks ago. And, they both welcomed these strange new ways of expressing their friendship. It made Link feel a great deal of warmth inside to have his kind-hearted and beautiful best friend in his arms.

But as he held her, he once again thought about those other couples. In fact, his thoughts focused on the kissing couple he had seen in Hyrule Castle Town earlier in the day. As he thought about it, he remembered that Anju and Kafei had kissed too. But Anju and Kafei were to be married. He had also seen couples kiss in the towns at Holodrum and Labrynna, but didn't know them very well. Even Ralph and the Oracle of Ages kissed, and Link paused at that thought.

Ralph and the Oracle, although older than Link, were childhood friends. But Link could tell that Ralph cared an awful lot about her by how jealous he acted toward Link. And even with being childhood friends, they kissed much like the couple in Hyrule Castle Town did when they were reunited.

'_A kiss is what a man gives to a woman, or a woman gives to a man, whom they truly care about... and really like,' _Navi's words echoed through his mind. _'It's one of many other ways that such feelings can be expressed.'_

Link then looked down at Saria, who still had her eyes closed as she laid her head and cheek against the front of his shoulder. He smiled at how absolutely adorable she looked, smiling so contentedly. He always loved her pretty smile and had thought so much about seeing her smile again during his adventures. And now, that he could see that lovely smile every day. Especially tonight, it was such a beautiful smile coming from someone he cared so much about, he could just...

'_You're growing up, dear, and as you grow up, you become curious about more and more things,'_ Navi's voice echoed.

'Kiss her? **Kiss her?!**' Link thought to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut and cringed at the thought of kissing Saria. 'No, I can't kiss Saria. She's my friend...,' Link scolded himself, '... well, my best friend... my best friend in the whole world... but still, we're friends. I just... can't kiss her.'

Link turned away from Saria and squeezed his eyes tighter, trying to purge the thought from his mind. But, the more he tried to force it out of his mind, the more he ended up reflecting on more of Navi's words. Completely defeated, Link relaxed his face and let out a soft, discontented sigh. Despite his opposition, one truth beckoned him, 'But... I care so much about Saria. She means so much to me... I just... can't stop thinking about her. Even while I was away on my last adventure... I couldn't stop thinking about her.'

So Link turned back to Saria, who was still snuggled close to him in his arms with her eyes closed, and still smiling contently. As he gazed upon her face, his heart rate began to rise. A part of him beckoned him to kiss her, but his more rational side protested it. And so his eyes averted away from her.

'But, Saria's never even seen a kiss before like I have,' Link argued with himself. 'What if she ends up just as repulsed by it as I was when I first saw a kiss? What if she's so disgusted by it and gets so mad at me that she doesn't speak to me for days? Weeks, even? I just can't do that to her.'

And Link's rational side was right. None of the children of Kokiri Forest knew what a kiss was. Not only did they never leave the forest to witness one, but they never had any visitors neither except for an occasional postman. Besides, they were children, and most children would be quick to judge kissing as foul and repulsing. And Saria, like the others, had never left the forest nor seen any of the amazing things that Link had. So she was really no different than the others.

However, as much as Link tried to convince himself against such a gesture, more thoughts of Saria mixed together with Navi's words of wisdom and continued to beckon him. They just weren't going to surrender. 'Saria's just done so much for me and been there for me for so long,' he thought to himself. 'And now, she's expressing her feelings in so many new ways. She even went through great lengths to make herself look absolutely beautiful... for **me**.'

Link looked back at Saria and smiled. He gazed at her lovely green hair, held in place by her dark green headband. He gazed at the white rose in her hair and immediately thought about what Navi had said about girls and accessories. They certainly liked to wear things that stood out, and that white rose made for a really nice touch to her beauty. And then, he glanced at her smiling face. Her fair skin looked so delicate, yet so pretty under the pure moonlight. And as he thought about it, he could feel his own heart beating lively. He just never thought he could see his best friend, or feel toward her, the way he was now.

'_One day, Link, you'll understand,'_ Navi's words echoed through his mind.

'Yes, Navi,' Link thought to himself, 'I think I do understand. She's my best friend, and I care a lot about her. She means a lot to me, I think about her a lot, and... I think I really... like her. And I'm sure Saria feels the same way too, because she's really been showing it. I really want to show her how much she means to me... tonight. And... I'm kinda curious... curious of what kissing the girl I care so much about... feels like.'

"Actually," Link started, with his heart beating harder against his chest as the word escaped his lips.

"Hmmm?" Saria replied.

"I... do have something for you," he said. When he did, a wave of heat rushed from his heart throughout his body. He was so nervous that his body ached under the tension, and he began to have second thoughts.

"Really?" Saria said as she opened her arms and let go of Link, sliding herself out of his arms. "Like what?"

Link could feel his heart pounding away at his chest when she acknowledged. 'Well, now that you've grabbed her attention and gotten her curious, it's now or never,' he told himself inwardly. So he took a deep breath, let out a huge sigh, and turned to face Saria. "Well, it's a surprise," he replied.

Saria raised her eyebrow and smirked, "Oh really?"

"Uh-huh," said Link. "Just sit up straight."

Saria smiled and gladly obeyed. She pulled her legs and feet back underneath her and sat on her knees. She then placed her hands together in her lap and sat upright in a very modest and lady-like manner.

"Close your eyes," Link said in a very low and soft voice.

Saria took a deep breath, and then closed her eyes as she let it out. The anxiety was getting to her. She really wanted to know what Link had for her, and was very tempted to sneak a peek. But, she also loved surprised, and she wasn't going to spoil this one. So she stayed upright and obediently kept her eyes shut.

'Alright, Link, you'd better not chicken out now,' Link inwardly told himself. 'You've braved some of the worst evils in the world. You've even braved a storm at sea that left you marooned you on a remote island. Certainly you can brave kissing a girl... especially Saria.'

So Link slowly leaned closer to Saria. As he did, his heart pounded away so hard in protest that he almost felt it in his throat. Link choked back the rather uncomfortable sensation and continued to lean closer to Saria. When their faces were no more than an inch apart, he closed his eyes and paused. He felt her gentle breathing tickling his lips, a sensation that trickled excitement in him and washed away his more rational side's final desperate attempt at stopping him. Finally, Link leaned in more and lightly pressed his lips to Saria's.

That gentle touch sent a wave surging throughout his entire body, causing every nerve to tingle. As smooth as the skin of Saria's shoulders and back felt against his, her lips felt like the softest of silk. Link never thought that a girl's lips could feel so good against his. So he began to brush his lips against hers very tenderly, taking in the new and simply amazing sensation it brought him.

As their lips touched, Saria's eyes sparked wide open and her heart started beating rapidly. And immediately, she felt the blood rush to her face. What was this sensation she was feeling? A man's... no, her best friend's lips were touching hers, sending all of her nerves into a tingling frenzy. But as the initial shock quickly subsided, she found Link's lips to be rather alluring. This sensation was quite new to her, and she found herself rather curious about it. So she leaned in slightly and pressed her lips more firmly to Link's and followed his lead.

When he felt Saria's lips press back against his, Link felt the flood gates of passion open within him. The fact that Saria didn't pull away, but rather melted into the kiss, both relieved him and excited him even more. So he began to caress the soft and silky skin of her lips, completely immersing himself into the kiss. As he did, Saria immediately followed suit with a gentle caress of her own, sending waves of pleasure flowing through the both of them. What they were both feeling as their lips caressed was beyond comprehension. But Link had to admit that despite his earlier jitters, kissing Saria felt way beyond amazing and far different than every other way that they've touched.

Soon, their lips separated and Link leaned back to see Saria's face completely flushed. Her sapphire eyes glistened in the moonlight as she very noticeably breathed in and out. "Wow...," she gasped.

"What did you think?" Link asked, smiling at her.

"I... I... don't know," she replied as she began to fan herself. "It... felt... so amazing. Wha... wha... what was that?"

"That... was a kiss," Link replied. "I hear you give it to someone you really care about... someone you really like."

"I... never knew... that something like that could feel... so... wonderful," Saria gasped. But as she said that, Link's explanation finally hit her. 'He... likes me?' she thought to herself as she felt her heart rate jump up. 'He really likes me... as in... I don't know. How much more of friends can we be? We're already best friends. Or is there perhaps... something more... than the best of friends?'

Saria then turned back to Link, her eyes meeting his, and wrapped her arms over his shoulders. 'Maybe our friendship really is growing like Spryte said, because... I really like him too,' she thought to herself as she pulled Link close to her and pressed her lips to his. And Link wrapped his arms tightly around Saria's waist and pulled her in tightly as their lips caressed. And there, they shared the most wonderful and blissful kiss under the moonlight that Link had ever seen, let alone experienced.

..

Little did they know that Navi and Spryte were there and witnessing everything. Spryte had already known exactly where to find Saria. So she had led Navi through the Lost Woods and to the lake where Link and Saria sat. Once there, they had found a small shrub not far from the stump where Saria had sat and watched the show.

"So adorable," Spryte whispered as they witnessed Link's and Saria's first kiss.

"They make such a cute couple," Navi whispered.

"Somehow, I always knew that they really liked each other and cared a lot about each other," said Spryte. "But, ever since Saria and I learned that she was growing up..."

"... You figured that they would become more than just friends, right?" said Navi, finishing Spryte's sentence.

"Yes," Spryte replied as she watched Link and Saria snuggle each other close and gaze out toward the glistening lake together. "I just... never thought it'd be this soon."

"She's so beautiful," Navi softly commented, noting the beautiful spring green dress that Saria was wearing. "I bet Link was really shocked and amazed when he first saw her in that dress."

"Tell me about it," Spryte agreed. "I nearly fainted when she first showed it to me. It was even more amazing that I never knew she had it until this morning."

"She certainly is one amazing girl," said Navi as she watched the adorable young couple. "I can understand how Link developed such feelings for her."

"Spryte let out a soft sigh, "Our dears really are growing up, are they?"

"Uh-huh," Navi replied. "They certainly are... in more ways than one."

Spryte smiled. "It's such a magical night for the both of them," she said as she fluttered her wings and began to back away from the shrub. "Come, Navi, let's leave them be."

"Yes... let's," Navi agreed as both fairies slipped away from the forest lake undetected, leaving Link and Saria to enjoy each other's tender company under the moonlight.

_end of chapter 8_

_

* * *

_

Of all the squishy moments they've shared in the last few chapters, it has all finally built up to a romantic night under a full moon and their first kiss. Now that their finally together, how will they go about their developing relationship? How will Saria react once the locket is finished? What more adventures lie ahead for them? Despite them being together now, I assure you, I'm not done with this story... **far** from it. So I'm already hard at work on Chapter 9. Thank you for reading and for all your support. Reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	10. Chapter 9: First Date

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 9

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Finally, after dealing with computer problems and illness, I've posted Chapter 9. I'm sorry I took so long. After Link and Saria shared their first kiss in the last chapter, where else can their relationship go? What other adventures lie ahead for the both of them?

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 9: First Date

After spending much of the morning in the Lost Woods, Link emerged carrying a large burlap sack full of delicious fruit for everyone. It was the second morning in a row that Link had spent hours in the Lost Woods gathering fruit. But more than that, he had also been getting himself out of bed much earlier than usual, before the cucco would even crow.

It had been two days since his moonlight rendezvous with Saria. And since then, Link had been in such a good mood that he was full of energy. He suddenly found himself wanting to get up earlier in the morning and wanting to gather fruit for everyone. He even volunteered to care for the Wolfos cubs in place of one of the Know-It-All Brothers last night. Link didn't know why, but ever since he and Saria kissed for the first time, he was really full of life and energy. He had to admit, he never felt so happy in his life, and it showed.

"Good Morning, Link," Fado greeted, her blond pigtails bouncing up and down as she ran up to him. "Did you go and gather fruit again?"

"Of course I did," Link replied as he dropped the sack to the ground with a loud thud. "It's some really tasty fruit. Besides, it's good target practice."

"Yes, you've been bringing home a lot of tasty food lately, ever since you came home after being gone for so long," said Fado. Then, she threw herself at Link and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back home. You bring so many amazing stories and tasty foods. And we all really missed you. Kokiri Forest just isn't the same without you."

"I'm glad to be home too, Fado," said Link as he returned Fado's hug. "I missed everyone here."

"Mail call!!!" another voice shouted from near the pathway out of Kokiri Forest, startling the two.

Link and Fado quickly let go of each other and looked in that direction. There, they found a rather tall and slender man wearing a white tunic running into the village at high speed. He wore Greek-style sandals and carried a brown leather sack at his side.

"A postman? Again?" Fado wondered. "He's been coming an awful lot lately."

The postman stopped before the duo and hunched over, resting his hands on his knees, and began breathing very heavily.

'How does he ever run so much and never pass out?' Link inwardly asked himself.

Soon, the postman took a deep breath and stood back up. After regaining his composure, he turned to Link. "Good Morning, Mr. Link. How are you this morning?"

"I've never felt better," Link replied with a smile. "And how've you been?"

"The mail's been keeping me busy, as usual," the postman replied. "And how has Miss Saria been?"

"She's been doing great too," Link replied with an even warmer smile as thoughts of her immediately entered his mind.

"Well, I have a letter for you from Hyrule Castle Town," said the postman as he fumbled through his leather sack and fished out an envelope. "It was just sent this morning."

Link raised an eyebrow as the postman presented him the letter. "This morning, huh? Just how fast did you run all the way here?" he asked as he took the letter.

"Oh, I think about two and a half hours," the postman replied.

"What?! Two and a half hours?!" Link exclaimed as his eyes popped wide open from the shock. "That has to be some kind of a record. I mean, it takes me just barely an hour to get to the castle on horseback. And Epona's a very fast horse."

"Well, it is my job to deliver the mail as fast as possible," said the postman. "Well, I have more letters to deliver." And with that, the postman turned around and dashed out of Kokiri Forest, leaving Link to his letter and Fado amazed.

"How does he ever do it, running so fast and so far?" Fado wondered.

"I don't know. Those postmen are surely something else," said Link as he glanced at the letter in his hand. "Hey Fado, can you give everyone their fruit while I read this?"

"Sure Link," Fado replied with a cheerful smile before she dug into the burlap sack.

Link, meanwhile, turned and walked toward his house, with Navi following close behind. "Who's it from?" she asked.

Link turned the envelope over and inspected the wax seal. And immediately, he and Navi both recognized the logo on the seal. So Link quickly broke the seal and pulled the letter from the envelope. Navi floated over Link's shoulder as they both read the letter.

..

_"Dear Mr. Link,_

_I know you have been patiently waiting these last two days. I have been working very hard and ham proud to inform you that I have finished your raindrop locket. I worked as hard as I could to not only finish it, but also to perfect it. I must say that it turned out to be one fine work of art. I assure you hat your young lass will be greatly impressed with it. Please come to my shop before sundown with your voucher to pick it up. I eagerly await you."_

_Sincerely,_

_J.M. Elgar, Hylian Fine Jewelry"_

_..  
_

"It's done?!" Link said excitedly. "My gift to Saria is really done?!"

"It seems like it," Navi replied. "He must have worked very hard on it to have finished it in a couple days. He must've really wanted you to give it to Saria as much as you did."

"Well what are we waiting for?" said Link as he took off for his house.

"Link, wait up," Navi hollered as she flew after him. "You're not going **now**, are you?"

"Why not?" Link replied with a smirk as he arrived at the ladder to his house.

_Moments later..._

Once Link had gathered his item bag and everything else that he usually brought when traveling, he promptly left Kokiri Forest. Once outside, Link pulled out his fairy ocarina and played "_Epona's Song"_, summoning the young chestnut. Once Epona arrived 10 minutes later, Link mounted up and they made their way toward Hyrule Castle Town. However, Link decided to take it rather easy on his trip to the castle town. So Epona only ran a rather moderate canter.

"Link, why are you going toward the castle so slowly?" Navi wondered. "Were you not in such a big rush to get to the jeweler's and grab that locket?"

"Of course I was," Link replied. "I was so excited, that I wished that my teleporting songs from my first adventure still worked. But as I waited for Epona, I started thinking about how I was going to give the locket to Saria. That night we spent together a couple nights ago would've been perfect."

"Well, Link, you could always create your own perfect time to present your gift," said Navi.

"Create the perfect time, huh?" Link pondered.

"Yes. I'm very sure your last time alone with Saria was a perfect time to give her the locket. But other perfect times will come along," said Navi. "Sometimes, if you're eager to give and such a perfect time doesn't come along, then you create it yourself. You create the perfect setting. You set the right mood. It can be something very simple, or it can be something very elaborate."

"Yes. Saria went through a lot to make that night so perfect for us," said Link as he thought back on the moonlit lake and Saria's beautiful dress. "I would very much like to have another night with her like that."

"Well, dear, if Saria can arrange a wonderful night for the two of you just to show off that dress you told me about, then you can do it too," said Navi with a smile. "Just arrange a night for the two of you for the purpose of giving her the locket."

"You know, Navi, I think I'll do just that," said Link. "I'll see about having her meet me someplace in the Lost Woods that we both enjoy outside the Sacred Forest Meadow."

"Oh? What kind of setting do you want to create? Where in the Lost Woods do you have in mind?" Navi asked as she flew closer to Link.

"I'm... not sure yet," Link hesitantly replied. "I want it to be similar to what Saria did, but I also want it to be different."

"Well, you have much of the day to think about it," said Navi. "Besides, we're going to the marketplace anyway. You might find some ideas there."

Epona whinnied as she continued her moderate canter toward the castle.

"See? Epona thinks so too," Navi said, giggling.

"I guess you're right," said Link.

_Later, Hyrule Castle Town..._

After a fairly leisurely ride through Hyrule Field, Link arrived at the front gate at Hyrule Castle Town and tied Epona up just inside the walls where many other horses were tied. The sun had completed nearly half its trip across the sky by the time Link had arrived. So he had plenty of time to not only pick up the locket, but also figure out what kind of arrangements to make for Saria.

When Link entered the marketplace, he and Navi found it to be as busy as ever, despite it still being late in the morning. Such a sight amazed them just as much as the first time they had returned here since their journey.

"Wow. Now I can safely say that this place has grown in the last two years," Link commented.

"I know," Navi agreed. "This is our third time here, and it's still very busy."

"I guess the King really wanted to bring all kinds of people and all kinds of shops here," said Link.

"Anyway, let's go get Saria's locket," suggested Navi in an attempt to steer Link back on track.

"Yet, lets," he replied. Then, remembering where Hylian Fine Jewelry was located, Link navigated through the crowd on his way there with Navi clinging to the fabric of his tunic at his right shoulder.

Soon, they emerged from the crowd and arrived at Hylian Fine Jewelers. Once free of the crowd and assured that she and Link wouldn't be separated, Navi let go of Link's tunic and hovered just to his right. Link opened the steel-reinforced wooden door and casually walked inside. There, the jeweler stood behind the counter, inspecting a new piece of jewelry under a magnifying glass.

Just as the reinforced door shut, he glanced up from his work to see the young teen in the green tunic and hat, accompanied by a glowing blue fairy. "Ah, Mr. Link, welcome back, young lad," the jeweler kindly greeted. "I trust you got my letter and have come for the locket, no?"

"Yes I have," Link replied. "That postman sure made it to the forest pretty fast."

"Well, they are very reliable," said the jeweler. "Wait right there. I'll go and get the locket."

As the jeweler turned to walk into the back room, Link fumbled through his item bag and fished out the voucher. He untied the rolled up parchment and neatly unrolled it on the counter, ready to present to the jeweler.

Not a moment too soon, the jeweler emerged from the back room carrying a medium-sized green felt jewelry box. "Here it is, young lad. Open it and take a look for yourself," he said before noticing the voucher on the counter. "And I see you brought your voucher too. Excellent!"

Link eagerly opened the jewelry box, and his blue eyes sparkled at what he saw. The golden locket and chain shined like the midday sun. The diamonds and emeralds around the sculpted edge twinkled under the store's light like the midnight stars. And the brilliant-cut sapphire in the center glistened like Lake Hylia on a beautiful spring day. Needless to say, Link was more than mesmerized.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Navi gasped.

"I must say," Link agreed. "It looks so much better than the other one I saw. And even **that** one looked great."

"Well of course, young lad. That locket is the real thing," said the jeweler.

Link ran his fingertips over each of the diamond and emerald studs, noting how perfectly they were cut and placed. Then, he found the hinge hidden in the top of the locket. So he slid the locket open and found the golden and textured inside to be equally shiny. "I need to find someone to make a picture of me to put inside," said Link.

"Well, there is a man from outside of Hyrule who can do that for you," said the jeweler. "He practices some new kind of art... something called _'photography'_. He owns a shop here, so he can help you."

"Great! I know of the art," said Link, remembering the pictures that Saria and many in Kokiri Forest kept in their houses. "We had a traveling artist visit Kokiri Forest years ago when I was younger, who took all kinds of pictures of us. I wonder if it's the same guy who visited us back then. Thank you so much." Link closed the locket, closed the jewelry box, and placed it gently inside his item bag.

"You're very welcome," the jeweler replied. "Let me know how the young lass likes it."

"I will," said Link before he turned around and left the jeweler's. Once outside, Link sat down on a wooden bench as the dull roar of the crowd filled the marketplace.

"So all we have left to do is to get a picture of you for the locket, right?" Navi asked.

But Link only sat in silence, gazing into the crowd and seemingly lost in thought. Navi, however, placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"Hey! Are you **still** thinking about how you're going to give Saria the locket?" she inquired.

"Yes," Link softly replied before he turned to navy, nearly chuckling to himself. "I know what I want to do for Saria tonight."

"Really? Like what?" Navi wondered.

"Well first, I'm gonna write a letter to Saria and have a postman deliver it to her as fast as he can," Link explained as he started fishing in his item bag for his quill and parchment. "We'll go to that photography guy's shop first. Then, I'm gonna want to get some nicer clothes. Then, I thought about getting some really nice food to share with her."

"Oh, it sounds like you're trying to arrange a date," said Navi.

"A date, huh?" Link pondered.

"Yep. It's when a man and a woman meet together to engage in some kind of social activity to create a wonderful moment between them," Navi explained. "But, it's usually done if the man and woman either have feelings for each other or are seeking to develop them."

"I see," said Link as he turned his eyes to the sheet of parchment in his lap. "Then I guess it's a date. But once I'm done here, I'm going straight to the Lost Woods to set it all up."

"You mean you're not going home?" Navi wondered.

"Nope," Link replied with a smile. Then, he took his quill in his left hand, dipped it in his inkwell, and began writing his letter to Saria.

_Later, Kokiri Forest..._

After spending much of the morning to herself at the Sacred Forest Meadow, Saria returned home with a bottle of Lon Lon Milk for a pair of hungry Wolfos cubs. It had been a little over a week and a half since everyone agreed to adopt them. Within that amount of time, the cubs had already grown a few centimeters and gained a kilogram. With the care that everyone was giving these cubs, Saria was certain that they would grow up quite healthy. And every time she gazed upon them, it was that thought that warmed her heart and brought a smile upon her face.

Today, it was Saria's turn to care for the Wolfos cubs and keep them for the night. So she slid her boots off at the door and walked over to the miniature bed where the cubs lied. She gently took them both into her arms and carried them to her bed. There, she sat at the edge and placed one of the cubs next to her. She took the bottle and began feeding the other cub in her arms.

As the cub suckled on the bottle, Saria let out a very contented sigh. It wasn't just the two newest additions to Kokiri Forest that brought her such warm thoughts, but also a certain blond-haired and blue-eyed Hylian boy. It was only the second day since her moonlight rendezvous with Link, since she showed off a beautiful dress to him, and since he shared with her a very tender kiss. And since that night, Saria could do nothing but smile and giggle. She couldn't get that wonderful night out of her head, even if she tried. But Saria didn't mind, because she knew that Link thought about her a lot too.

Moments later, as Saria was feeding the other hungry Wolfos cub, a knocking sounded on her door frame. She gently set both the cub and the bottle down next to the other cub. "Yes? Who is it?" she asked.

"I'm a traveling postman, and I have a letter for you, Miss Saria," a man's voice replied.

'A letter? For me? Who could be sending me a letter?' Saria semi-skeptically thought to herself. She hadn't received any letters since Link was still in Holodrum, although she herself had sent out all kinds of letters to various shops and caterers. So she walked over to her door and pulled the door curtain aside to see the rather tall and lanky man in the white tunic.

"Here you go, Miss Saria," the postman said politely as he handed her the sealed envelope. "Well, I'm off to deliver more mail. Have a nice day." And the postman turned and ran out of Kokiri Forest like a rat deserting a sinking ship.

"Who's it from?" Spryte asked as Saria glanced at the wax seal. It bared a logo that she didn't recognize, But when she turned the envelope over, she found "_My Dearest Saria"_ written in very familiar handwriting.

"This is Link's handwriting," Saria said excitedly as she broke the wax seal. She quickly removed letter from its envelope, unfolded it, and read it.

..

"_Dear Saria,_

_I was out and about at Hyrule Castle Town after gathering fruit for everyone and immediately thought of you. I couldn't stop thinking about that magical night we spent together under the full moon. I would so love to have another night like that. So please meet me under the old moss tree at sundown, alone. I have another wonderful surprise for you. See you at sundown._

_Your best friend in the whole world,_

_Link"_

_..  
_

"Another night alone with Link?!" Saria exclaimed as she jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh, I can't wait."

"Wow. After what you did for him a couple nights ago, I wonder what Link has planned for an encore," said Spryte.

"Well, that's half the excitement," said Saria. "I'm already excited about just spending another evening alone with Link, especially after... after... he kissed me." And Saria blushed and giggled at that thought. She had to admit, kissing Link was the most incredible and magical thing she ever experienced. And a small part of her wanted to experience it again that night.

Spryte noticed Saria's blushing and giggling and floated closer to her face. "You really like Link, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes," she quickly replied. "With the way I think about him a lot, how I feel when we both hold each other, and how it felt when he kissed me... yes, I really like him."

Spryte smiled, "Uh-huh."

"What do you mean 'Uh-huh'?" she asked, glaring at Spryte rather jokingly.

"Oh, nothing really," Spryte replied, containing herself from giggling. "I'm just starting to get used to growing up. That's all."

"But I've been growing up for a couple years now. You're just **now** starting to get used to it?" Saria asked rather skeptically.

"In a way, yes," Spryte replied. "At least I'll have Navi to keep me company tonight... and the Great Deku Sprout and all the other fairies."

"Great. It's still a couple more hours before sundown, so I'll go ahead and get ready," she said as she walked over to her wardrobe.

"Saria, wait," said Spryte, stopping Saria before she could even open her wardrobe. "What about the Wolfos cubs? Isn't it your turn to care for them tonight?"

"That's right, the cubs," she said somberly as she let her hand slide down the wardrobe door. She really wanted to be alone with Link, but it was her turn tonight to care for the cubs. She couldn't just leave them alone in her house. As a responsible mother, her natural choice was to stay for the night and care for the cubs. She couldn't help but feel like she was at a loss. But as she thought about it, a bright idea hit her like a piece of fruit falling from a tree. "I know, I'll have Fado watch them tonight," she said, with the excitement returning to her voice. "She likes these little Wolfos cubs just as much as I do."

"Okay, dear. I won't stop you," said Spryte, smiling as Saria ran to her bed and took the Wolfos cubs and their bottle into her arms. Then, she walked over to her door, slid into her boots, and left her house. "Ah... youth," Spryte commented to herself aloud as she followed Saria out the door.

Soon, Saria arrived at Fado's door. With the cubs in her arms, she couldn't use her hands very well to knock on Fado's door frame. So she took a deep breath. "Hey Fado, are you home?" she called inside through the curtain.

"Oh hi, Saria," Fado replied from inside. "Yes, I'm home. Come on in."

Saria turned sideways and used her shoulder to push Fado's door curtain aside as stepped inside her house. There, Fado sat up in her bed with no boots on after taking a short early-afternoon nap.

"Hi Saria, how are you?" Fado greeted before she noticed the Wolfos cubs in Saria's arms. "Aww... you brought the babies too."

"Oh yeah. I just fed these little guys too," said Saria. "Hey Fado, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Saria," Fado replied. "What kind of favor?"

"Can you watch these little guys for me tonight?" Saria asked. "Please? I'll watch them for you the next time it's your turn to watch them, I promise."

"Okay, I'll watch them," Fado eagerly replied. "I just love having these little guys around. But, what're you doing tonight, huh?"

'I'd better not tell her about being alone with Link. No one knows how I really feel about Link... yet,' Saria pondered. Then, she turned to Fado. "Oh, Link's taking me to the Lost Woods to show me some really neat stuff that happens during the evening," she explained, having thought up a good cover story.

"I see," Fado replied. "It's so neat that you and Link are the only two who can go into the Lost Woods and not get lost. How do you do it?"

"Oh Fado, you know I that I have contact with the spirits of the forest," Saria replied. "Link, however, doesn't have contact with them like I do. But somehow, he still manages to find his way through the Lost Woods."

"He's so amazing," said Fado.

"I know," Saria replied. He really was amazing to her. That's why she had arranged that night under the full moon for him. And she was about to have another night like that one. So needless to say, she couldn't get it off her mind. "Well, Fado, I'm going back to my house to get ready," she said after seeing the Wolfos cubs creeping around at Fado's feet. "See 'ya."

"Bye, Saria. Have fun tonight," said Fado as Saria left her house.

_That evening..._

After a couple hours, the sun began to set over Kokiri Forest. And as the sun was setting, many of the Kokiri children began returning to their homes for the evening. Like good little boys and girls, the Kokiri would often spend the evenings inside their houses, and sometimes their friends' and neighbors' houses too. However, there were always a few Kokiri who enjoyed being outdoors after sunset.

But when Saria poked her head outside through her door curtain, she found only the lights shining from everyone's houses. A few fireflies shined their lights as they flitted about the village. But, she didn't spot the glow of even a single fairy.

"It doesn't look like anyone's out," said Saria as she pulled her head back inside.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone to see you leaving for the Lost Woods," Spryte asked, "and dressed like that?" Spryte took another look at Saria, who wore the same beautiful spring green sleeveless dress that she had worn two nights ago. She also wore the same brown dress sandals. However, she didn't wear a white rose in her hair tonight like she did then.

"Come on, Spryte, you know everyone still worries about me when I go into the Lost Woods after all these years, especially at night," Saria replied. "Besides... other than the play at the annual Summer Festival, no one's ever seen me wear a dress. And I'm... not quite ready for everyone to see me wearing one... not yet."

"Why not, dear?" Spryte asked. "Everyone already likes how you look in your princess costume."

"Well, it's just... they'll start wondering why I'm wearing a dress outside of the play. And I'm not quite ready to tell them that it's for someone special," Saria explained.

"Yeah, I can understand that," said Spryte. "But, didn't you say you got it to wear at Link's party?"

"Yes, but that was for a party. This is different. It's like... I don't know how to say it," Saria explained.

"You're wearing it to look good for Link, right?" suggested Spryte.

"That's it. And I'm not quite ready for everyone to know about my feelings toward Link... not yet," said Saria.

"And these feelings are still new to you," said Spryte. "You've only recently begun exploring them. On top of that, the others don't quite understand how friendships can grow, especially between a boy and a girl. So I can understand why you're a little reluctant to let everyone know about you and Link. But someday, they'll take notice just like they'll soon take notice that you're growing up."

"Yeah. When I'm ready, I'll tell them... **we'll** tell them, Link and I," said Saria as she turned to leave. "Spryte, can you... accompany me... at least until we get near the old moss tree?"

Spryte smiled at Saria, "Yes, of course, dear."

So Saria took one last peek outside, finding the coast to be clear, and left her house with Spryte trailing close behind.

'No matter how much she's growing up and maturing, she's still a Kokiri child who needs her guardian fairy, after all,' Spryte thought to herself as they entered the Lost Woods.

_Moments later..._

After traveling through the dark and dense Lost Woods with only a lantern in her right hand, Saria found herself getting very close to where the old moss tree stood. Despite leaving promptly at sundown, Saria took quite a bit of time to navigate the forest. Although she remembered the way to the old moss tree quite well, she had to navigate some of the denser parts of the forest more carefully so as not to mess up her beautiful dress. But her struggle through the forest ended as she neared the clearing where the old moss tree stood. Then, she turned to Spryte, "Well, we're here now."

"Okay, dear," Spryte replied, smiling.

"Thank you for coming with me," said Saria.

"You're welcome," Spryte replied as she began to back away from Saria. "You kids have a good time, okay?"

"Okay," Saria replied. "I'll see you when I get home."

After Spryte disappeared into the woods, Saria turned around and continued her walk toward the old moss tree. When she neared the clearing where it stood, she smelled something rather peculiar, yet somehow familiar. So she paused, closed her eyes, and took in the aroma from all around her. There, she pondered the strangely familiar aroma.

'Smells really good,' Saria thought to herself. 'It almost smells just like Link's birthday party... all that wonderful food... food?! That's what that smell is!'

Upon that conclusion, Saria took off jogging through the woods, being careful as not to get her skirt caught on a shrub. Soon, she arrived at the clearing and immediately found the massive tree where Link once hid from her during a game of hide-and-seek. But when she looked around, she found a rather small wooden table joined by a pair of wooden chairs sitting near the base of the tree. On the table sat a few plates of freshly-prepared fish, fruits, and bread. Only a table lamp provided the area with warm illumination. Saria gasped at such a sight.

'Wow, look at all that food,' she thought to herself.

"Hi Saria," Link's voice greeted.

Saria turned to her left and found Link standing near a circle of stones surrounding a pile of ashes and smoldering wood. But she found that his outfit looked very different than usual, and different than during their moonlight encounter. He wore his traditional green tunic and hat, but he also wore a brown leather vest over it. His white undershirt had much shorter sleeves, coming down just past the sleeves of his tunic. However, his brown belt, brown boots, and white tights looked the same as before.

"Hi Link," Saria greeted. "My, my, aren't we looking so nice."

"Thank you, Saria," Link replied. "I'm not the best with fashion, but I wanted to look good in my tunic."

"Well, you did a fine job. That vest looks great on you," Saria commented.

"And you look so beautiful in your dress, just like you did a couple nights ago," Link commented, looking Saria over from her lovely brown dress sandals to her sapphire blue eyes.

"Why... thank you, Link," Saria replied with a slight blush. She set her lantern down, walked up to Link, wrapped her arms around his chest, and hugged him tightly. When she did, Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders and returned her embrace. And there, they held each other for what seemed like hours. After their time alone together under the full moon, they had yearned to be alone together again, and to be this close again. But soon, the aroma of the freshly-cooked fish tickled their noses.

Saria loosened her hold on Link, looked into eyes, and commented, "Hey Link, that food smells really delicious."

"Why, thank you, Saria," Link replied. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Am I ever," Saria replied a she let go of Link. "I'm so hungry, I could eat the biggest fruit in the forest."

"And I'm so hungry, I could eat an Octorock," said Link.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat," said Saria. So she turned and went to retrieve her lantern as Link walked over to the dinner table. She grabbed her lantern and promptly blew the flame out. Then, she walked over to the dinner table where Link patiently awaited her. As she neared, Link pulled one of the wooden chairs back for her.

"Why, thank you, Link," she replied as she kindly took her seat. Once she was comfortably seated, she patiently waited as Link took his seat across the small table from her.

"Well, go on ahead. Eat up," said Link. So they both took their plates and loaded up with fresh fish, boiled vegetables, heated dinner rolls, and fresh fruit. Many of these foods were quite exotic to Saria, having seen them only once at Link's birthday party. And having enjoyed this great food then, she was more than eager to dig in.

They remained quite silent as they ate. They both seemed to enjoy the amazing food more than the company they shared with one another. And why wouldn't they? They both enjoyed tasty food very much just as any kid would, even though they were older kids. Plus, they were hungry too. But over halfway through their meal, Saria finally broke the silence. "Link, this food is really amazing," she commented.

"Thank you, Saria," Link replied before taking the last bite of his fish.

"Did you... really cook all of this... yourself?" she asked.

"I sure did," Link replied. "Well, I didn't cook the bread and fruits, but I cooked the fish and vegetables."

As Link explained, Saria smiled, covered her mouth modestly, and giggled.

Link sneered, "What's so funny?"

"Oh Link, I never figured you'd be any kind of a cook," said Saria. "You never once cooked as long as you've been in Kokiri Forest."

"Well, I never really needed to. Besides, I was kinda nervous to even try it," Link explained. "But when I left the forest both times, I had to cook a lot of my own food. And often times, I had to find or hunt it myself. I was terrible at cooling at first. But after a while, I got better at it. I guess that with being away from home for so long, I sorta learned how to cook.

Saria sat in her chair, gazing into Link's eyes and smiling as he explained. The things that Link had learned on his journeys continued to amaze her. He learned many amazing new songs, he learned how to use all kinds of neat tools, he learned how to cook some great food, and he even learned a wonderful thing to give a girl such as a kiss. Saria had to admit, Link never ceased to amaze her. "Well, you certainly did a wonderful job, because this is the best dinner I've ever had," she commented.

"Why thank you, Saria," Link replied before eating his vegetables.

Saria too continued with her dinner. But she couldn't even get a few bites in without catching a glance at Link. He had arranged another evening that they could spend alone together and also cooked a wonderful meal... all for her. And at that thought, she brought her right foot up and barely brushed Link's tights just above his boot with the toe of her dress sandal.

When he felt something brush his left leg, he glanced up from what was left of his dinner to see Saria looking into his eyes. "Uh, Saria... what're you doing?" he wryly asked.

"Oh... nothing," Saria meekly and evasively replied, looking completely innocent as she rubbed up and down Link's shin with her foot.

'This is a strange feeling,' Link thought to himself as Saria continued to slowly rub his shin. 'It's kinda like when she was rubbing my chest the other night. It sorta... feels good.'

So Link extended his right hand across the small table. When he did, Saria looked into his eyes and cracked a grin. She stopped rubbing his leg and laid her foot back down beneath her, and then gently laid her left hand into his. And for a few moments, they just sat there silently, with Saria's hand in his, gazing into each other's eyes.

Then, Link finally spoke up. "Oh, I have another song for you," he said as he let go of Saria's hand. He took his cup and gulped down the rest of his Lon Lon Milk.

"You do?" said Saria, her pointed ears perking up. "Oh do play them for me." She finished off her fish and continued eating her fruits as Link reached into his item bag and extracted his fairy ocarina.

Then, he took it and placed it to his lips. And after a few quick scales to warm up, Link began to play a moderately-paced Celtic tune, one not unlike the ones that Saria had played a couple nights before. It was neither a festive nor a romantic tune, but rather one that a group of people in the lounge of an inn could relax to. And as Link played his song, Saria took a few bites of fruit and glanced at Link, mesmerized by his song.

A few minutes later, as Link finished his song, Saria finished her fruit and thus finished her dinner. "That was a wonderful song," she commented. "Where did you learn it?"

Link thought back on it for a moment. Then, he turned to Saria. "Well, after I found Navi, I returned to Holodrum to get Epona, as you may remember. But when I got there, the sun was already setting and the ship wasn't going to leave for the town outside of Hyrule until morning. So I stayed at the inn. When I got there, I saw some pretty familiar faces."

"Let me guess, the dancer girl and her dance troupe," Saria guessed as she grinned.

"Uh-huh," Link replied, and then continued. "They just happened to be there at night on their little tour all around Holodrum and beyond. And they played so many new songs, that I just had to learn them."

"Brilliant!" Saria commented. "You were learning new songs even as you were coming home, huh?"

"Yeah. I've been practicing this particular song for the last couple days since you showed me your new songs," said Link. "Ocarina songs are something we'll always share together."

"I know," said Saria, smiling at Link. "Are you finished with dinner? Your plate is empty."

"Yes, I'm done," Link replied. "I'm so full, I feel like I just ate a Dodongo. This food was so good."

"Well...," Saria said as she held out her hand for his, "come sit with me under the tree."

So Link took Saria's hand and they both stood up from their chairs. From there, they walked to the tree, holding hands along the way. Once at the base of the old tree, they both sat down. Link leaned his back against the moss-covered trunk and extended his legs out in front, while Saria sat to his left with her knees on the ground and her legs out to her side. Once comfortable seated, she leaned against his shoulder and let out a sigh, "Ahh... this is great."

"Yes... it's a nice evening in the forest," said Link.

With darkness having fallen over the forest, they could see nothing beyond the small area around them as the table lamp provided the forest's only illumination. Link could barely make out Saria's fair skin and even the piping and embroidery on her dress under the lamp's warm light. But even under the fairly dim yet warm light, Saria looked absolutely beautiful.

"I feel like playing another new song," said Saria, breaking up their short and silent moment.

"Oh really?" said Link.

"Yeah, but... I sorta... left my ocarina back at my house," Saria sheepishly said. "Can I borrow yours?"

"Sure, of course," Link replied as he handed Saria his fairy ocarina.

"Thank you, Link," she said before placing it to her lips. With it not being her instrument, despite being identical to hers, she took a moment to get a feel for it in her hands before she played a couple of scales. 'This is just like my ocarina,' she inwardly commented. 'After all, it was my spare ocarina before I gave it to Link.'

After warming up, Saria closed her eyes and began to play a somewhat slow and beautiful motif. It was a slower song than both the new songs that she had played two nights before, but its mood was every bit as romantic as her second new song from that night.

Link closed his eyes and gently wrapped his left arm behind Saria's back and around her waist as she played. "Now this is a beautiful song," he said in a low and soft voice. He listened as Saria continued playing her song. Now and then, he caught a glance at her lovely face under the warm light of the table lamp. More and more, he was looking at his best friend much more differently than he ever did before, seeing her as quite an attractive young lady. No other girl that he'd ever met, not even the beautiful Princess Zelda, compared to Saria.

After Saria finished her song, she lowered the ocarina and turned to Link, her eyes meeting his. "Well, what do you think?" she softly asked, watching the reflection from the table lamp dance in his blue eyes.

"It's such a beautiful song," Link replied. "What do you call it?"

"I call it... _'Eyes'_," Saria replied, her eyes not averting from Link's. "I read somewhere that the eyes are the window to the soul. And as I thought about the next time I would gaze into yours again while you were gone, I wrote this song. It was the last song I wrote before you came home."

"You really are something, Saria," Link commented," You should be a musician or something. You know, share your wonderful songs with everyone in the world."

Saria's eyes averted slightly at Link's comment. "Well... I would love to, but you know I can't leave the forest," she said, and then turned back to Link. "But, I'll be sharing some of these songs with everyone at the festival."

"Brilliant!" At least it's a start," said Link. "You and I can both share our amazing new songs with everyone."

"Now that's a plan," she said, showing her warmest smile.

And as she smiled, Link turned himself toward Saria, wrapped his other arm around her waist, and pulled her close to him. In response, Saria wrapped her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled her cheek into the crook of his neck. "Mmm... I'm really liking being in your arms," she said.

"I like being this close to you too," said Link.

And there, under the old moss tree, they sat snuggled in each other's arms. They spoke not a word to each other and let their intimate moment express their feelings for them. They had both yearned to be in each other's arms again since the wonderful night they shared under the full moon. So for the rest of the night, they just wanted to be close to each other and take in the feel of their bodies snuggled up together.

After a few moments, a little voice in Link's head spoke to him. _'The locket, Link... the locket.'_

"Oh... Saria?" Link said, breaking the silence as he remembered why he had invited her to the old moss tree in the first place.

"Hmmm?" Saria replied.

"I... have something for you," said Link.

Saria pushed herself up from Link's embrace and glanced excitedly into his eyes. "Really?"

"Yes," Link replied as he let go of Saria. "Come to the table where the light is and I'll show you."

So they both stood up and walked over to the table. Link gently moved the plates, utensils, platters, and cups to one side of the small table and the table lamp to the other. Saria took her seat, placed her hands modestly in her lap, and eagerly awaited what Link had for her. Then, Link took his seat across from Saria and reached down into his item bag.

Saria anxiously twiddled her thumbs under the table as Link took his time feeling through his magical bag. 'I wonder what he has for me,' she thought to herself. 'Ohhh... I really want to see.'

After an anxious moment of fumbling through his item bag, Link extracted a small box wrapped in a silk cloth and tied with a small ribbon. "Here you go, Saria," he said as he gently placed the gift box in front of her.

"Wow, it's really pretty," Saria commented as she took the gift box into her hands, feeling the soft silk of the wrapping brush against her skin as she brushed it with her fingers. "It's so neatly wrapped."

"Well, open it, silly," said Link. "I promise you that what's inside is even more beautiful than the box it comes in."

So Saria grasped the ribbon bow and untied it was a slow and easy pull. Then, she removed the silk wrapping from the box, revealing the green felt container. 'Oh, what is it?" What is it?' she excitedly thought to herself as she grasped the top of the box and hesitated. 'I'm so nervous. I want to open this box, but I just can't. Come on, Saria, you want to know. So open it already.'

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened the box as Link watched and smiled. After a few seconds of anxiety, she slowly opened her eyes and discovered the beautifully studded raindrop-shaped golden pendant inside. As the gleam of the gold and the glistening of the sapphire and studs caught her eyes, Saria drew in a very sharp and audible breath. "Oh my goddesses!" she gasped. "Link... I-I-I-It's... it's really... beautiful. Oh my goddesses, Link, you shouldn't have."

"You like it?" Link asked, still smiling at her.

"Like it?! It's the most beautiful little trinket I've ever seen," Saria replied.

"You were talking about eyes, right?" said Link, "Well, that sapphire stone in the middle matches your eyes perfectly. That's what drew me to it."

"Wow," she gasped as she took the locket in her left hand and removed it from its box to admire it.

"It's a locket you wear around your neck," said Link as Saria examined it. "It opens up too. Go ahead and try it."

Saria brushed her fingertips over each of the studs and all around the sculpted edge and found the small golden stud hidden in the top of the locket. Then, she pressed her finger on the sapphire and slit the locket open. Inside, she found a black and white picture that looked just like Link and drew in another sharp breath. "Oh my goddesses, it's you," she gasped. "It's a picture of you."

"Yep. Now you can always keep me close and look into my eyes anytime you want," said Link before he stood up. "Here, let me put it on for you."

Saria closed the locket as Link walked up beside her. She handed the locket to Link, who then unclasped the chain. He then stepped behind her, spread the chain, and set the locket down on the top of her chest. He then brought the chain around her neck and clasped it on. "There you go, Saria," said Link as he backed away.

Saria slid her left hand under the locket and looked down at it in the light. Even under the warm light of the table lamp, the diamond and emerald studs twinkled like the stars over Kokiri Forest, and the sapphire glistened like the moonlit lake. Saria stood up from her chair and turned to Link, meeting his blue eyes with hers. Then, she stepped toward him and wrapped her arms over his shoulders and pulled him close. She smiled very brightly and pressed her lips to his, letting her gentle kiss show Link her appreciation.

In response, Link caressed her lips lightly against his, once again showing her how much she meant to him. Without their guardian fairies around to ruin the moment, Link wrapped his arms around her waist and immersed himself in the kiss.

Saria tightened her hold over his shoulders and leaned her body against his. She then bent her right knee and lifted the back of her heal behind her as she leaned into the kiss.

After a few moments of sheer bliss, what seemed like an hour to them, Link and Saria slowly separated. "Thank you, Link," Saria whispered. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Link replied in a soft and low voice before giving her another quick peck on the lips. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the night?"

"Well, it's still early in the night. Why don't we sit back under the tree and just be with each other?" suggested Saria. "I don't care how late we stay out tonight."

"I'd like that," Link replied. "I don't care either, as long as I'm with my best friend in the whole world."

_Later that night..._

The sound of footsteps coming up the latter woke Navi from her late night slumber. She sat up in her basket bed and glanced around her. Catching a quick peek out his window, she found the sky to be completely pitch black. On top of that, Kokiri Forest was very silent outside the footsteps coming up the ladder. So Navi concluded that it had to be at least close to midnight. Then, she glanced toward Link's door curtain. 'I wonder who could be coming up at this time of night,' she thought to herself.

Soon, the light from a lantern shined through the tiny space between the door frame and the edge of the door curtain. Then, the door curtain opened, revealing a familiar adolescent boy wearing a green tunic and hat, and a brown vest. "Link, are you just **now** getting home?" Navi sleepily asked as she shielded her eyes from the lantern's soft light.

"Yeah," Link replied as he dimmed his lantern. "I spent a wonderful night with Saria, so of course I'm just now getting home. I'm sorry I'm so late."

"Well... tell me about your date in the morning. You need your sleep, dear. So get to bed," Navi sleepily said before she fell back in her own bed. And in moments, she drifted back into sleep.

"Don't worry, I will," Link replied as he walked toward his table and set his lantern down. He then walked over to his wardrobe, opened it, and began undressing. As he did, he reflected on tonight.

After giving Saria the locket, they had spent the rest of the night in each other's arms. There, they shared stories of their day. They shared Link's day in Hyrule Castle Town and his preparations for their date. They also shared the story of Saria's time in the Sacred Forest Meadow, practicing some of her newest songs, including the one she'd played for him that evening.

After spending a couple hours alone in the Lost Woods, Link decided to call it a night as fatigue had crept up on him. So he walked Saria through the Lost Woods all the way back to Kokiri Forest. He even continued the walk all the way to her house, where they shared a long and blissful kiss good night before he finally came home.

Once Link removed his clothes and hung them neatly in his wardrobe, he slipped into his green and white stripped pajamas. Then, he walked back to the table and grabbed a twig. He then opened his dim lantern and lit the twig, and then used it to light a small oil lantern in the middle of the table. It was one that he and every Kokiri kept in their houses for use as a very dim nightlight, unlike the larger ones they all kept for illumination.

He then blew out his lantern and walked over to his bed. But just as he had gotten under his sheets, a knock sounded at his door frame. "Hello, Link? Are you still awake?" Saria's soft voice sounded from the other side of his door curtain.

"Yeah, I'm awake," Link replied, not even sitting up in bed.

"May I come in?" she politely requested.

"Sure, come on in," he replied.

Saria then slid inside through the door curtain. And as se walked toward him, he saw in the dim nightlight that Saria was still wearing her beautiful spring green dress and brown dress sandals. And she still wore her beautiful golden raindrop locket as it shined even in the dim nightlight. In her hands, she held her fairy ocarina.

"What is it, Saria?" Link wondered. "I'm really tired."

"Oh, I was thinking, and... I want to play one more song for you tonight," Saria replied.

Link smiled at Saria's gesture, "That's really kind of you. What kind of song are you going to play?"

"Just a really nice one that I wrote, that's all," Saria replied. "It's kind of a lullaby."

"A lullaby, huh?" said Link.

"Mmhmm. You wanna hear it?" Saria asked.

"Of course. I always like listening to your songs," Link replied, smiling warmly despite his fatigue.

So Saria adjusted the front of her skirt and sat on her knees on the soft rug next to Link's bed. Once comfortable, she placed the ocarina to her lips and took a deep breath. Then, she began by playing a short and sweet intro, and then closed her eyes as she began the melody. Much like Saria's previous songs from the last couple nights, this song had a very Celtic-like sound to it. It was a very sweet and relaxing melody, as a lullaby should be.

"It's beautiful," Link softly commented as he closed his eyes and immersed himself in his best friend's sweet song.

Saria smiled as she continued playing. 'Yes... I wrote this song just for you, Link... right before I wrote _'Eyes'_,' she thought to herself mid-song. 'I too love its sweet melody. It really relaxes me whenever I play it. I didn't tell you tonight, Link... but, I just couldn't stop thinking about you... ever since we spent such a heavenly night together under the full moon. You have no idea how much I yearned for another night like tonight. And you **really** have no idea how excited I was to have read your letter earlier today.'

Saria took another deep breath in between verses and continued playing her beautiful lullaby.

'This locket... it's such a wonderful gift you gave me,' Saria thought to herself as she played her song. 'You even put a picture of yourself in it for me. That was simply the best gift. I will always keep someone very special to me close, someone I care so much about, and someone I really... like. Even tonight, since you gave me such a wonderful gift, and after you kissed me goodnight, I just couldn't stop thinking about you. Right away, I wanted to see you again. Right away... I just wanted to play one more song... just for you. I just... couldn't resist the urge to come see you again tonight.'

Saria reached the final verse of her song, completely absorbed in both her song and her thoughts, and oblivious to all else. 'Is this what it means... to really... like someone?' she asked herself as she played the final verse. 'Perhaps I **am** starting to understand... just how much our friendship really is... growing. Maybe there really is something more than being the best of friends... and I think... I kinda...sorta... feel that way for you. And more than that, I've always felt this way. It's just... just like Spryte said: as I grow up, so will my feelings for you. If only you knew how much my feelings for you have grown, Link... if only you knew.'

Saria played the last note to her song. She took a deep breath and held her ocarina to her chest, not even opening her eyes. 'Yes... I do,' she admitted to herself. 'I do believe there is something more...'

She opened her eyes to look at Link in the dim glow of his nightlight, only to find him completely serene and motionless in bed. Saria smiled and quietly giggled. "Fast asleep," she softly whispered. "You must've been really tired, going through so much in one day just for me. You really impress me, you know?"

As she gazed at his tranquil face, she couldn't help but to reflect on everything she thought of and felt about him. 'Oh Link, you're always so adorable when you sleep,' she commented to herself in thought as her heartbeat began to rise. 'I just wish you knew and could tell me, Link... what this is I'm feeling for you... because... maybe...'

And at that thought, Saria stood up from the floor. She took another look at the sleeping boy and smiled. "Good night, Link," she said softly before she leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Sweet dreams."

She then gave him another slow and gentle kiss on his forehead, and gazed upon his peaceful face again. 'Yes... I think, no... I really do...," she thought to herself. 'Goddesses, Link, if only you knew...'

And suddenly, as if being driven by an uncontrollable urge from being imprisoned for so seemingly long, all of Saria's thoughts and feelings finally escaped her lips. "I... I love you, Link," she softly said.

She stood back up and looked at his sleeping face one last time for the night. 'So this is what it means... to love someone,' Saria thought to herself as she took a deep breath. She then turned to leave his house. But as she took the first couple of steps, she heard Link begin to stir in bed behind her.

"Mmm... I love you too, Saria," Link said quite sleepily.

Saria gasped and froze in place as Link uttered those words. Immediately, she felt her heart beating in her chest and her face hearing up as it began to redden. 'He... heard me?" Saria thought to herself as she was noticeably breathing in and out. Then, she looked back over her shoulder at Link, who was still very much dead to the world.

'He... loves me?' Saria thought to herself as the initial shock subsided. But that realization only made her blush even more. 'Oh my goddesses, he loves me too? He really loves me?!'

Saria beamed very happily as she walked out of Link's house and climbed down his ladder. 'Yes... I do love Link... I really do,' she confessed to herself inwardly as she headed back to her house to join Link and everyone else in the dreaming world. Tonight, Saria was certainly going to have some pleasant dreams.

_end of chapter 9_

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Now how is **that **for an encore? Their relationship is developing to the point that Saria has confessed her love for Link. But did Link really hear her? Was Link's confession of love just a subconscious thought? We can only speculate for now. Just a few notes about this story: We all know Link is 13 in this story. But Saria, with her aging only half as fast and being a Kokiri who's been alive for who knows how long, looks of a 12-year-old in this story. As for all the Celtic music in the last couple chapters, I've always viewed Irish and Celtic music, whether folk songs or more relaxing songs, as very fitting to the Kokiri.

This chapter turned out to be my second longest one, with all the content I had in it. I'm already working on Chapter 10, which will likely be much shorter. So keep your eyes out for it. I hope you've enjoyed this and all my previous chapters. All reviews are welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	11. Chapter 10: A Field of Battle

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 10

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. After a nice vacation from work and everything, I bring you Chapter 10. I, and I'm sure many of the readers, wonder where this story will go now that Link and Saria are together. Well, here's one possibility.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 10: A Field of Battle

After spending much of the morning and early part of the afternoon at the Lon Lon Ranch, Link rode Epona all the way back to Kokiri Forest. The ride was back was mostly uneventful, but still enjoyable as it always was when Link and Epona were together. Epona gave Link ultra-fast transportation all around Hyrule and even beyond, while Link was Epona's ticket out of the Lon Lon Ranch and to the great big outside world.

Once they arrived at the passage to the forest path that lead to Kokiri Forest, Link dismounted and gently stroked Epona's muzzle. "Thank you for today, Epona," said Link. "I always enjoy the time we spend together."

Epona nickered in response as Link stroked her muzzle. Link reached into his item bag and grabbed a couple of Epona's favorite carrots. He brought them up to her, who carefully took them from his hand and devoured them in seconds. "Now you go on back to Malon and Talon, okay?" suggested Link.

Epona whinnied in response and turned around. Then, she took off galloping toward the northwest. Once Epona disappeared over the horizon, Link turned around and entered the passage. Having traveled this path many times, Link knew this part of the forest like the back of his hand. Between Hyrule Field and the bridge to Kokiri Forest stood a few rolling hills and a multitude of trees thick enough to deter any possible intruders, and even a number of visitors, from entering Kokiri Forest. But after a few minute's walk down the rolling and winding path, Link spied the rope bridge to Kokiri Forest through the trees.

However, as he neared the bridge, he saw wisps of smoke coming from the village. Curious, Link quickened his pace and jogged down the hill and toward the hollow log passage to the bridge, with the village passage disappearing from view. In probably no more than ten seconds, Link arrived at the bridge and discovered one of the twins standing in the middle of the bridge, coughing and wheezing. And right behind her stood a horrifying sight as the once wisps of smoke now billowed from the village.

'What the...?" Link thought as he stepped onto the bridge.

The twin stood back up from her coughing fit to find that Link had come home. Immediately, she ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "Oh Link, thank the goddesses you're here. It's horrible," she cried, squeezing Link for comfort. "The village... it's **on fire**!"

"Oh no...," Link gasped as he let go of the twin and took off running through the passage. Once in the village, Link fell to his knees, his eyes and mouth wide open at the sight before him. Some of the trees, much of the grass and brush, and every one of the houses were completely engulfed in flames. The thick smoke made seeing anything but the flames nearly impossible.

Suddenly, two of the Know-It-All Brothers came bursting out from the smoke. One brother seemed to be supporting most of the weight of the other in an attempt to get him out of the fire. "Link, thank the goddesses you're here," the one brother helping the other said. "We can't put this fire out, it's just too big. We need to get everyone out of here and into the Lost Woods, and quickly. Mido's helping too."

Immediately, Saria came to mind. And when she did, his heart began pounding in his chest as thoughts of the possibility of his beloved best friend being consumed by the fire flashed through his mind. "Saria... is she safe?" Link almost hysterically asked.

"She's fine. She's helping the others in the Lost Woods," the brother replied. "But Kalo, Fado, Lare, Mimi, and Bundo are still missing. We need to find them and get them out of here."

'Oh no...,' Link lamented inwardly at the thought of losing them all. "Okay," he quickly replied as he turned swiftly around and dashed into the smoke. He took off his hat and covered his nose and mouth to shield them from the searing smoke. 'Kalo... Fado... everyone... please hang in there,' Link prayed as he ran deeper through the smoke and toward one burning houses.

As Link reached that house, Mido suddenly burst out, coughing and covered in soot. And he wasn't alone as he had Mimi clinging to his left arm, her strawberry blond hair and freckled face unrecognizable as she too was covered in soot. "Link, you're here," Mido said as he coughed again. "I got Mimi, and Bundo's with the Great Deku Sprout. Go find the others."

Without a word or even a nod, Link took off running through the smoke and flames to another burning house. As he began coughing from the hot smoke seeping into his lungs, he gathered his strength and leaped through the burning doorway. Once inside, he discovered Fado sitting against in corner, covered in soot, and cradling an unconscious Kalo in her arms.

"Link, help us!" Fado screamed. Her tears were made evident by the streaks of pale skin trailing from her eyes down her soot-covered cheeks.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out," Link replied as he ran up to them. He picked up Kalo and hefted him over his shoulder like a sack full of fruit. Then, he took a firm hold of Fado's hand. "Hang on, okay Fado?" he commanded.

Fado nodded in response. Then, Link turned to the door and took off. But just as they took the first few steps, the entire house suddenly exploded all around them. The force of the blast knocked slammed them all against what was left of the wall and knocked them completely out. That was the last thing that Link and Fado saw and heard before the whole world went black around them.

Link quickly shot up from his bed and opened his eyes. As he sat up, he felt his heart pounding in his chest and himself breathing heavily. He felt like he had really experienced that awful ordeal, felt the heat from the fire, and feared the loss of his Kokiri friends.

'Another nightmare?' Link thought to himself as he slowly tried to calm himself. 'This is the second one I've had in less than a week. Why only now am I starting to have bad dreams again.

It had been five days since the last time he had a bad dream, which was also the very same day that he'd spent a wonderful moonlit evening with Saria and shared with her their first kiss. Their growing relationship had given them both nothing but pleasant dreams. So a nightmare visiting Link now certainly perplexed him.

Suddenly, a knock at his door frame broke him from his thoughts. He quickly shook them from his head and tossed his sheets off of him. "Yes? Who is it?" he asked.

"Just a traveling postman, Mr. Link," a young mad replied. "I got a letter for you."

'Another letter, huh? I've been getting more of these lately,' Link thought to himself as he stood up from his bed.

"Good Morning, Link," Navi greeted as she floated up from her miniature bed. "Sounds like you're becoming pretty popular with all the letters you've been getting recently."

"It seems like it," said Link as he reached his door. He pulled the door curtain aside to find the same postman who had delivered his letter from the jeweler's three days ago.

"Ah, Mr. Link. This letter was given to me yesterday, and I was told to give it to you this morning," said the postman as he handed Link the letter. "Well, I'm off to deliver more mail. See 'ya." The postman quickly turned around, leaped down from Link's balcony, and then took off running.

'So athletic,' Link inwardly commented. Then, he took a look at the envelope and immediately recognized the emblem on the wax seal.

"Who's it from, Link?" Navi asked as she flew over to him and glanced at the envelope with him. The emblem was none other than that of the Zoras.

"It must be from Ruto," Lin replied as he broke the seal and removed the letter from the envelope. Then, they both began reading.

"_Dear Link,_

_Where have you been? I haven't seen you since a few days after your birthday party and have been wondering about you. You really should visit me and the rest of us Zoras more often since you're always welcome. It was actually thinking of a way for us all to get together for a neat activity, and then I heard about your youth records from the fisherman at Lake Hylia. So I thought that you, I and a few of the other Zoras could get together and do a little fishing at Lake Hylia. I swear it'll be fun. We Zoras are natural-born fishers, you know. Plus, you can even bring lots of those tasty fish back to your forest home to share with all your Kokiri friends._

_So how 'bout it? Meet us at Lake Hylia near the Lakeside Laboratory when you get this letter. We should already be there and waiting for you when you get here on your horse. I'll be waiting._

_Your best Zora friend ever,_

_Ruto, Princess of the Zoras"_

"Wow, it looks like she's already arranged everything for you, huh?" said Navi. "It's almost as if she's ordering you to go visit her."

"Yeah, it sure seems like it," said Link as he folded the letter and smiled. "But, that's **so** like Ruto."

"So are you going to go to Lake Hylia to visit her?" Navi asked.

"Of course I'll see her," Link replied. "Ruto's just as much my friend as Zelda, Malon, Darunia, and the rest."

"Somehow, I knew you would say that," said Navi, chuckling as she floated back to Link's door. "Well, you'd better get dressed and ready to go if she's already waiting for you. I'll go see the Great Deku Sprout and tell him where we're going."

"Okay," Link acknowledged as Navi slipped out the door.

Without second thought, Link opened his wardrobe and removed one of his numerous green tunics, a white long-sleeve undershirt, a pair of white tights, and his favorite green pointed hat. After getting out of his green and white striped pajamas and changing into his usual modified Kokiri outfit, Link slid into his boots and grabbed his item bag. And after strapping on his bracers, sword, and shield, he walked out his front door and slid down his ladder.

He quickly checked himself over, making sure he didn't forget anything during his rather hasty preparations. Once he passed his self-inspection, he began to make his way out of the village. Just as he was about to walk past Saria's house, Saria emerged from her slumber and stretched her arms outward. "Good Morning, Saria," Link greeted.

"Good Morning, Link," Saria replied before she noticed everything he was carrying. "Well, well, where are you going, all geared up?"

"Oh, just out to see Princess Ruto at Lake Hylia and also do some fishing," Link replied.

"Oh I see, going out with another girl, huh?" Saria sneered, glaring at Link and then turning her face away from him.

"What do you mean but that?" Link argued.

"No, uh-uh, go on. Go and get all lovey-dovey with Ruto," said Saria as she crossed her armed and haughtily turned her nose up.

"Hey now, there's no reason to get all jealous," said Link as he stepped toward Saria. "You know I don't think about Ruto that way. She's my friend, and it's just too weird to think of her as anything more. Besides, **you** are my best friend in the whole world. **You** are the one I think about all the time. **You** are the one who I yearn to be with."

Link stepped closer to Saria, who finally peeked at him and smiled. "And **you** are the one who's always there for me and makes me smile," he finished.

Saria turned back to Link, gazing into his blue eyes. "Oh, okay. I'll let it slide," she said as she wrapped her arms around Link's chest and hugged him tightly. "I trust you, Link. We are best friends, after all," she continued. "Just promise me that when you're with her, that you'll always think about me."

"There's no need to promise, because I **always** think about you," said Link, returning Saria's embrace. "I chose to stay here so I can always be close to my best friend, remember?"

"Of course. How can I ever forget?" Saria replied as she loosened her embrace and gazed back into his eyes. "You go on and have fun. Come home soon, 'kay?"

"Yes. I always do, don't I?" Link replied as he let Saria go. Then, he turned and made his way toward the passageway out of Kokiri Forest, with Navi flying to catch up with him after her visit with the Great Deku Sprout. "See ya, Saria," said Link, waving at her as he walked.

"Bye Link," said Saria as she waved back at him. 'That's right, he's made all kinds of friends during his travels,' she thought to herself as she watched Link disappear through the passage. Then, she thought to herself, 'Yet, he always comes back to Kokiri Forest... back to me. He's right, there's no need to be jealous. How silly of me to think that way."'

"He really does think about you a lot, especially when he's away. Navi told me so," said Spryte. "Come, let's go have breakfast."

"Okay," Saria replied as she turned and walked toward the twins' house for breakfast. 'But... why do I feel jealous all of a sudden? I don't remember ever being jealous of anyone else before,' she pondered. 'Is it because of my feelings for him? Or perhaps... is it because I love him and it's just a part of loving someone?'

_Later... Hyrule Field..._

After waiting about 20 minutes after playing _"Epona's Song"_ for Epona to arrive, Link walked away from the passage to the forest and toward Hyrule Field. Once out in the open, he spotted Epona galloping toward him at full speed.

"You have to be patient, dear," said Navi. "Lon Lon Ranch is pretty far away, and Epona isn't always standing or grazing outside the ranch."

"Yeah, I know," Link replied as Epona arrived. Then, he turned to the filly. "It's so good to see you again, my friend."

Epona whinnied happily in response. Then, Link placed his foot in the left stirrup and mounted up. Once he was comfortably seated, he stroked Epona's neck. "Okay girl, we're going to go see Ruto and the Zoras," he told her.

Right as Link told her where they were going, the filly turned toward the north, the way to the river. Then, she began walking.

Link quickly and gently tugged on the reins, bringing Epona to a complete halt. "No, no, Epona. Ruto's at Lake Hylia today," he told her.

So without any further input from Link, Epona turned herself toward the southwest. Once she turned, Link gave a sharp kick to her side and sent her galloping toward Lake Hylia. Link had to admit, Epona wasn't just a fast and hearty horse, but also a rather smart one. She understood many things that Link both said and felt. She also remembered where just about every place in Hyrule was, and beyond. And if that wasn't enough, she even seemed to understand Link's feelings toward Saria.

So off they galloped toward Lake Hylia at nearly full speed. This was to be Link's second visit with Ruto since his return to Hyrule. It was no wonder that she was so anxious to see him. Then again, he had seen both Zelda and Darunia only once. Malon and Talon were his only friends whom he had visited many times. Not only did he visit them when he came to ride Epona, but also to order fresh Lon Lon Milk for everyone at Kokiri Forest. So it was easy for Link to visit them often.

Much of the ride was rather uneventful. Navi stayed on Link's right shoulder throughout the ride. She also stayed pretty silent and merely enjoyed the ride. Link, however, couldn't help but to think about Saria. Of course, he'd thought about her a lot even before he came back to Hyrule. But since his return, he only thought about her even more, especially after they shared their first kiss. So Link also remained quite silent throughout the ride.

Moments later as they galloped closer and closer to Lake Hylia, Link noticed a rather peculiar cloud of dust over the horizon coming from the lake. "What in Hyrule is up with that huge cloud of dust?" Navi wondered.

"I don't know," Link replied. "I just hope we're not in for a dust storm."

"But out here? We're nowhere near the desert, and neither Hyrule Field nor Lake Hylia are barren enough to fuel dust storms," Navi commented. "It's all too strange."

So Link lightly tugged on the reins, prompting Epona to slow to a stop. Then, he reached into his item bag and grabbed a spyglass. It was a very useful tool given to him by a sailor in Holodrum just before he had left for Labrynna. It proved quite useful to him many times on his journeys through both Labrynna and the outer islands. So he peeked through it and carefully examined the dust cloud. "Now why would we have a dust storm? It's not even windy," Link commented as he continued looking. "And it's coming this way too. What could be causing it?"

But moments after he made his comment, as the cloud of dust rapidly drew closer and closer, Link spied a few silhouettes within the dust cloud. 'What is that?' Link wondered as he focused in on one the silhouettes. And just as he zoomed in on it, the form of a large and muscular bipedal creature with a bulldog-like face and a pig's nose emerged from the dust cloud. It rode on the back of a rather large and powerful boar. Link gasped as more of them began emerging from the dust cloud. "Oh no, Moblins... on Bulbos," he said to no one in particular.

"Moblins? Here? Now?" said Navi, wondering where a group of Moblins came from and why they'd show themselves. "But, why are there Moblins roaming around? Didn't we defeat Ganondorf and his minions?"

Just as Navi asked, a sudden feeling of anxiety overtook Link. Just then, an over two-year-old memory flashed in his mind. Link suddenly remembered witnessing a scene much like this before in a dream he had before leaving Hyrule to look for Navi. And as many of the scenes from that old dream flashed rapidly through his mind, he turned to Navi hovering to his right. "Navi, whatever you do, stay close. Got it?" he commanded.

"Okay," Navi replied before she flew down to his shoulder and grabbed onto his tunic.

Link drew his sword and gave Epona a good slap to the hip, sending her galloping at full speed toward the group of Moblins. As he sped toward them, more and more Moblins came into view through the dust cloud. "Jeez, just how many of these guys are there?" he commented.

"I don't know," Navi replied, "There are definitely a lot of them if they're kicking up a cloud of dust that big."

"Great, just great!" Link said. Then, he thought to himself, 'Ruto's gonna be so mad at me for being late. But I just can't let these Moblins go.'

Finally, as Link approached the lead Moblin, he swung his sword at it. The well-timed swing struck the pig-nosed monster across the chest, knocking it from its mount and utterly slaying it. Link sheathed his sword and gave Epona a kick to the side, speeding up to put some distance between them and the Moblins.

When Link turned left and looked toward the group of Moblins, he found every one of them turning to the right and toward him. So he quickly grabbed his quiver from his item bag and strapped it to his left hip. Then, he grabbed his bow, knocked an arrow, drew the string, and aimed at one of the Moblins as they completed their turn toward him.

"Wait! You can still do horseback archery?" Navi asked as Link released the arrow. His shot struck the Moblin's throat dead center, knocking it off the Bulbos boar and thus killing it.

"Of course I still can," Link replied as he quickly knocked another arrow. "I got this bow in Termina, and I started shooting from horseback again in Holodrum. I learned during our first adventure, remember?"

Link aimed at another Moblin and fired, striking it dead in the chest and killing it instantly. Then, he grabbed the reins as the group came too close for Link to fire another shot.

"Yes, I remember now. Nabooru and the Gerudos would be so proud of you," said Navi. "Oh, and I counted the Moblins. There are nineteen of them left."

"Nineteen?" Link exclaimed as he steered Epona and sped by the group of angry Moblins, out of reach of their weapons.

"Oh come on, Link, you've fought much worse on even your first adventure," said Navi. "I know you can handle these guys."

"Yeah, but **nineteen**? It's gonna take a while to slay them all," said Link as he turned Epona to the right. He then knocked another arrow and turned his body toward the group of Moblins. After picking his target, he drew and released another arrow. It fell short of the Moblin, but hit the Bulbos he was riding right through the side, causing it to fall dead and throw its rider.

As he and the Moblins paralleled, Link knocked another arrow and quickly dispatched another Moblin. And just before they completed their turn toward him, he fired another arrow into the crowd. He struck another Moblin in the chest and knocked it from its mount, taking down three more Moblins behind it.

And suddenly, just as Link reached for the reins to turn Epona toward the Moblins, a spear flew no more than a few inches in front of her face, spooking her. Epona shrieked as she came to an abrupt stop, rearing up and dropping Link from her saddle to the ground.

"Link! Are you alright?" Navi asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Link replied, and then turned to the frantic filly. "Epona, run! Get out of here."

And just as Epona turned to run away, Link leaped to his feet and grabbed his shield just in time to deflect two more spears being thrown at him. As the Moblins sped closer to Link, brandishing their spears and clubs, Link quickly drew his sword. He then ducked low and began slashing, thrusting, and spin-slashing at each of the Bulbos as they sped by him.

This tactic worked quite well. Of the thirteen remaining mounted Moblins, nine of them lost their mounts with most of those nine falling violently to the ground. Link turned around and quickly struck a few of the dazed Moblins with well-timed jump thrusts, dispatching them with ease. He then swiftly slashed at a couple more as they were staggering to their feet, striking them hard and killing them instantly.

Link then sheathed his sword, dropped his shield, and grabbed his bow. He turned toward a few of the distant Moblins that were forcibly dismounted by their slain comrade and quickly knocked an arrow. His aiming proved much easier without having to deal with bouncing up and down on horseback. So he fired at one Moblin, then quickly knocked another arrow and drew the bow before the arrow hit its mark. He then fired at the second Moblin and followed up on the third.

With those Moblins out of the picture, Link dropped his bow, snatched up his shield, and drew his sword just in time to meet three of the mounted Moblins head on. As one of them lowered its club to the ground to send Link on a violent ride, Link leaped in the air and spun around in mid-air. His sword released a powerful wave, striking all three Moblins in the face and utterly destroying them.

"Look! There's one running away," said Navi. Link looked to see the last mounted Moblin making a break for the northwest. "I've got him," said Navi as she quickly bolted off after it.

"Navi, get back here now!" Link yelled, fearing for his guardian fairy's safety. But just as he did, a Moblin's roar behind him grabbed his attention. Link quickly spun around and jumped of the way just as a bug heavy club slammed into the ground where he stood. Link turned to the perpetrator, who quickly and effortlessly lifted the club back up and swung it at Link. Link rolled under it and slashed at the Moblin's legs, dropping it to the ground with a loud crash. Link then leaped into the air and drove his sword into the injured Moblin's back, utterly finishing it off.

Link quickly grabbed his bow, placed his fingers to his lips, and whistled loudly for Epona. Then, he quickly dispatched the remaining Moblins with his well-honed archery skills. Just as he finished off the last Moblin, Epona came galloping toward him. "Epona, quick! We must go after Navi. She's chasing one of the Moblins," he yelled as she ran up to him.

Link grasped the saddle horn with his left hand and leaped onto Epona's back. He then gave her a slap to the rear with his bow and sent her galloping at full speed. Remembering where he last saw the fleeing Moblin, he grasped the reins in his right hand and steered Epona in that direction. 'Hang on, Navi. I'm coming,' Link thought to himself as he raced after her and the fleeing Moblin.

After a few minutes of galloping, Link spotted the silhouette of a mounted Moblin behind a cloud of dust. And to his relief, he also spotted the glowing dot of Navi still chasing after it. "Alright Epona, get me close enough to that Moblin so I can shoot it," he said to the filly.

Epona whinnied in response as she picked up the pace after the fleeing Moblin. Link grabbed an arrow and waited as Epona drew nearer and nearer his target. Once he was close enough, Link knocked the arrow, drew the bowstring, and aimed at the back of the fleeing Moblin. Then, he released the arrow, sending it on an arcing trajectory through the dust cloud. It struck the Moblin in the back of the head, killing it and causing it to fall off its mount and tumble on the ground.

"Yeah! Got him!" Link celebrated as he and Epona ran toward the fallen Moblin.

"Nice shot, Link," Navi praised as she met them halfway.

"Yeah, thanks," Link replied. "Don't scare me like that again. He could've been leading you to his friends."

"Well, I didn't want him to get away so he could report us to his friends... or someone worse," Navi explained.

"I'm just glad you're okay," said Link as they reached the fallen Moblin. "But where did these Moblins come from all of a sudden... and why?"

"I don't know, but I'll take a good look at him," Navi replied. So she floated down to the Moblin while Link dismounted and put his bow away. As Navi examined the dead Moblin, something shiny in one of its pockets caught her attention. So she took as close of a look as she could. Then, she discovered the large shiny object to be some kind of jewelry. "Link, look!" she said, getting his attention.

Link walked up to the dead Moblin and kneeled down where Navi was. He reached into the Moblin's pocket, feeling the smooth metallic and facetted non-metallic surfaces that certainly felt of jewelry. So Link grasped the object and extracted it from the Moblin's pocket. When he did, he and Navi both gasped in shock at the object they had found. It bore three large, round, faceted blue gemstones, which were joined together in a triangular pattern by a shiny and ornate gold sculpted stone. It was an object that was all too familiar to them.

"Is this Zora's Sapphire?" Link astonishingly asked.

"It sure looks like it... and feels like it too," Navi replied as she picked up the powerful energy coming from that stone. "I can feel the aura emanating from it. It is definitely Zora's Sapphire."

"Oh no, this is not good," said Link as his heart sank in his chest. "These guys must've been after the other two Spiritual Stones as well... so they can try to free Ganondorf."

"It's a good thing you vanquished them and put a stop to those plans," Navi added.

As Link held Zora's Sapphire, a sudden feeling of anxiety washed over him. As he did, the sight of a robed figure blasting Navi with a vicious bolt of lightning flashed in his mind. Remembering that horrible part of his dream from over two years ago, Link dropped the Spiritual Stone and quickly drew his sword.

"What is it, Link?" Navi anxiously asked.

"Stay close to me," said Link. "Something doesn't feel right all of a sudden."

"Um, okay," Navi replied as she floated up to Link.

Link quickly looked all around him. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, expecting the sky to suddenly turn black at any second, just like in that old dream.

"Link, you killed them all," said Navi, trying to reassure him. "I don't think any more are coming."

"No, it's not that," said Link as he relaxed and sheathed his sword. "Before I left to search for you, I had a dream just like this... with Moblins and this guy in a robe."

"I see," said Navi as she floated closer to Link.

After a couple anxious minutes of looking around Hyrule Field and waiting for trouble, Navi finally spoke up. "Link, I don't think anything's going to happen."

"Yeah, you're probably right," said Link.

"Let's go and take the Spiritual Stone back to Ruto," suggested Navi, "Besides, I'm sure she's still waiting for us."

"Okay," Link replied. He kneeled back down and picked up Zora's Sapphire. Once he placed both it and his quiver of arrows safely in his item bag, he walked over to Epona and mounted up.

'This is strange... just too strange,' Link thought to himself. Then, he gave Epona a sharp kick to the side and yelled "Hyah", sending her galloping toward Lake Hylia.

_Later, Lake Hylia..._

Link arrived at the large and majestic late that sat on the southwestern edge of Hyrule. The waters glistened in a beautiful display of shimmering gold under the mid-morning sun. And despite the upcoming summer solstice, the gentle breeze kept the air around the lake comfortably cool.

As Link approached the lake on Epona, he spotted a group of Zoras at the water's edge by the Lakeside Laboratory, right where Ruto had instructed to meet her.

"Link! You're here!" a girl's voice shrieked. And suddenly, a smaller Zora girl burst out of the crowd and ran toward Link and Epona, with her forearm and pelvic fins trailing in the wind. Despite having smooth-scaled skin and a sloped hammerhead, she had a face not much different that that of a Hylian's or a Kokiri's. Only her darker eyes, pointed nose, and rounded ears differed.

She wore a rather simple blue skirt just under her pelvic fins that went down mid-calf, and had a slit all the way up the left side to promote free movement. She also wore a matching blue halter top that left her midriff completely exposed, taking her pelvic fins into consideration. She wore no shoes, just like all Zora didn't with their webbed feet. She was certainly a different-looking Zora girl than when Link had first met her. Even though this was their second meeting, Link couldn't help but to inwardly praise her growing Zoran beauty.

So Link dismounted and braced himself for the hug from the hammer-headed Zora girl via flying tackle that he was about to receive. He spread his arms wide as Ruto threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and squeezed him affectionately. In response, he wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders and returned her friendly hug.

"Oh Link, I'm so glad you made it," she said in a rather wavering voice.

This, however, alarmed Link. Something about her seemed rather off as she seemed to be hugging him more out of fear than for joy. "What's wrong, Ruto?" he asked.

Ruto loosened her grip and looked into his blue eyes, her feelings showing on her face very explicitly. "We were attacked, Link... by a group of bandits," she replied.

"Oh no," Link gasped. Then, he grasped her shoulders, held her at arm's distance, and looked into her eyes. "Bandits? When? How many? What did they look like?"

"They attacked about an hour before you came," Ruto explained. "There were about a couple dozen of them. They were big and ugly. They had these dog-like faces with pig's noses..."

'Moblins,' Link thought to himself as Ruto continued.

"... And worst of all... **they stole my mother's heirloom**," she wailed, on the verge of tears. And Link pulled Ruto into a tight embrace as she cried.

"So that's what happened," said Navi.

"Yeah, they sensed the power of the Spiritual Stone and robbed her for it," said Link. Then, he let go of Ruto and looked into her eyes. "It's okay, Ruto..."

"No, it's not okay. I'm mad," Ruto interrupted, "I'm mad 'cause some ugly monsters stole my mother's stone. It's supposed to go to the man I'm going to marry, and those ugly dog-faced creatures robbed me of it."

"No, no, it's okay. I defeated them," said Link, trying to calm the angry Zora princess down.

"You... did... say again," said Ruto, not quite grasping what Link just said.

Link let go of Ruto and reached into his item bag. "I said I defeated them already. I ran into them on my way here," said Link as he fished out Zora's Sapphire. "They were carrying this."

Ruto's eyes sparkled as she laid them upon the glittering stone in Link's hand. "Oh my goddesses, Link, you found it!" she gleefully said. "You really got my mother's stone back. Did you really punish those thugs severely for robbing a sweet and innocent little princess like me of her sacred treasure?"

"You bet he did," Navi replied for Link. "He was so amazing, fighting off and defeating every last one of those Moblins. He even impressed **me** with his fighting. He's grown so much in so many ways, you know."

Then, Ruto walked up to Link, kindly took Zora's Sapphire from his hand, and politely hugged him. "Thank you, Link," she softly said. "Thank you so much for getting my stone back."

"You're welcome, Ruto," said Link as he returned her hug.

"Please... don't tell my father what happened," she softly requested. "If he finds out that I was robbed, he won't let me come out here again."

"It's okay, Ruto. I won't tell him," said Link.

Then, Ruto let go of Link and smiled. "Good. Since you're here now, let's go do some fishing," said Ruto, her usual spunk quickly returning to her. She turned around and quickly ran off to rejoin her Zora comrades.

'Bandits... right," Link sarcastically thought to himself as he walked casually toward the group. 'I believe those Moblins had more sinister plans than just plain robbery. Moblins are Ganondorf's minions. Surely they were after the stone so they, or someone else, can try to release him from his prison. I need to tell the Great Deku Sprout about this. Maybe he can tell me what's going on. I just hope to the goddesses I'm wrong."

_That afternoon..._

After catching quite a number of different kinds of fish, Link mounted up and parted ways with Ruto and the Zoras. She had given him a pair of special nets in which to carry all the fish back to Kokiri Forest. They strapped neatly on Epona's saddle just behind Link. They may have been extra weight that Epona wasn't used to carrying, but after carrying food for Link's and Saria's date a few days ago, she had no complaints.

So after a moderately-paced run across Hyrule Field, Link arrived back at the entrance to the forest path that led to Kokiri Forest. So he hopped off of Epona and turned to meet her eyes. "Thank you for a wonderful trip, Epona, and for helping me out with those Moblins," said Link.

Epona nickered happily in response and nudged Link's cheek with her nose.

"Go on home to Malon and Talon now," said Link as he walked over to her saddle and removed the nets full of fish. After taking a good whiff of the freshly-caught fish, he turned back to Epona. "You're gonna get a really nice and refreshing bath when you get home."

Epona whinnied, knowing exactly what Link was telling her, saying that she smelled of fish.

"See 'ya, Epona," said Link as he turned toward the forest with Navi in tow.

Moments later, Link crossed the rope bridge and entered Kokiri Forest. There, he saw quite a number of Kokiri boys and girls roaming about the village. Some were just standing around, while a few others were doing some odd chores for Mido. He even saw Kalo chasing one of other girls around the village. Link took a deep breath of the crisp forest air and thought to himself, 'It feels so good to be home again, especially after today.'

Soon, one of the girls noticed Link standing in front of the passage out of Kokiri Forest. "Hey everyone, Link's back," she called out to everyone in the village, "and he brought us some tasty food."

At the mere mention of food, all the Kokiri stopped what they were doing and ran toward Link. More Kokiri quickly emerged from their houses and joined the crowd rushing toward Link.

"Hi everyone," Link greeted as he dropped the nets full of fish to the ground.

"Link, you really brought us food," said a Kokiri girl.

"Again," a Kokiri boy added.

"Alright everyone, out of my way," said Mido as he pushed his way through the crowd. "I get first dibs on any food that Growing Boy brings home."

"Relax, Mido. There's enough here for everyone," said Link as he approached. "This is fresh-caught fish from Lake Hylia. Make sure everyone gets some."

So Link swam through the crowd of Kokiri as they rushed on the nets of fish. In the back, Link spotted a head of familiar-looking green hair. Once he emerged from the crowd, he found Saria standing with her hands together in front of her and smiling at him warmly.

"Hello, Saria," Link greeted.

When he greeted her, Saria walked up to him and hugged him gently. She wanted to hug him in a more intimate manner and even kiss him, but everyone was there and would very likely witness it. So she had to settle for a friendly hug. "Hi Link. Welcome home," she greeted as she hugged him.

"Yeah. After today, it feels good to be home," said Link as he returned Saria's friendly gesture with a hug of his own.

Saria then let go of him. "After today? What do you mean?" she wondered, wearing a look of concern on her face. "What happened out there?"

"I ran into a bunch of Moblins in the fields on my way to Lake Hylia," Link replied.

"Oh no," Saria gasped.

"And they had stolen Zora's Sapphire from Ruto as well," Link continued.

"You mean the same kind of Spiritual Stone as **our** Kokiri's Emerald that the Great Deku Sprout told me about?" said Saria.

"The very same kind," Link replied. Then, he backed away from Saria. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to go tell the Great Deku Sprout what happened," he said before he walked by Saria.

"It's okay, Link. I understand," said Saria, still wearing a look of concern on her face. 'Link looks really worried about it, and it's getting me all worried too,' she thought to herself. 'Oh my goddesses, I hope no one's gonna come after us too.'

Moments later, after dispatching a couple of angry and carnivorous Deku Babas, Link arrived at the vast meadow where the Great Deku Sprout and his long-deceased predecessor stood. Many of the Great Deku Sprout's fairies flitted about the meadow, while others sat next to the Great Deku Sprout and on the branches of his predecessor.

"Come hither, Link," said the Great Deku Sprout.

Link obeyed and approached the forest's guardian, with Navi following close behind.

"I understand that thou bring forth troubling news," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Yes. While I was on my way to Lake Hylia, I ran into a group of Moblins," Link explained. "Navi and I have no clue where they came from, but they had stolen Zora's Sapphire from Ruto. I'm just glad I was able to stop them, because if they had Zora's Sapphire, then surely they would've come after Kokiri's Emerald.

"Yes, I can understand why thou art worried," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Thou say to me that thou hast stopped them. I assume it means that thou hast slain them, am I right?"

"Yes, all two dozen or so of them," Link replied.

"Then may I see thy sword?" the Great Deku Sprout requested.

"Yes, of course," Link replied as he unsheathed his sword. "But why do you want to see my sword?"

"Because, my dear Link, if the blood of those Moblins still resides on that blade, then I can examine it and sense their lingering aura," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Just lay thy sword before me so that I may examine it."

So Link walked up to the Great Deku Sprout and laid his sword down right in front of him. 'I see now,' Link thought to himself as he backed away. 'It's just like back when Saria and I brought that dead Wolfos for him to look at.'

Link then stood there and waited with Navi hovering anxiously around him. It may not have looked it, but despite his inanimate traits, the Great Deku Sprout looked up and down Link's slightly bloodstained sword, studying the remains of the slain Moblins. For Link, what the Great Deku Sprout would find can either relieve him or trouble him even more. So needless to say, Link and Navi were both more than anxious.

After a few tense moments, the Great Deku Sprout finally spoke up. "Yes, these were a rather dangerous group of Moblins indeed. And the Bulbos they rode were certainly some hearty beasts," he said.

"Tell me about it. **I** was the one who fought them," said Link. "But who were they and where'd they come from?"

"Thou need not worry, Link. These Moblins must've come from one of the forests outside of Hyrule," the Great Deku Sprout replied. "Although they were quite savage, I assure thee that these Moblins were mostly benign."

"Benign? What do you mean 'benign'?" said Link, shocked more by the Great Deku Sprout's choice of words than by his findings.

"So they really were just a bunch of no-good bandits, just like Ruto said," Navi concluded.

"But how could monsters who've served under Ganondorf not be evil, outside of being common thieves?" Link wondered.

"Oh Link, thou know not thy monsters all that well, do you? But, I can understand thy prejudice, as the only Moblins that thou hast ever met were those that served evil beings such as Ganondorf," the Great Deku Sprout explained. "Ganondorf may have used them as loyal and powerful soldiers, but in all reality, Moblins are little more than a race of nomadic warriors with many tribes. This particular group of Moblins must've been a part of one of those tribes, making their living by thievery and pillory."

Upon hearing the guardian tree's explanation, Link let out a huge sigh of relief. "Man, am I sure glad they weren't part of some evil scheme," he said.

"Me too," Navi agreed.

"But thou has done a good deed, slaying those thieves and returning Zora's Sapphire to its rightful owner," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Thou shalt be proud of thyself."

"Believe me, I'm more than relieved," said Link as he walked up to the young guardian tree retrieved his sword.

"Worry not, my dear Link. I sense no immediate threat of anything dark and utterly evil," said the Great Deku Sprout. "However, remain vigilant, for there shalt always be evil in this world in one way or another."

"Yeah, I'll do that," said Link as he wiped the blade of his sword clean and sheathed it. Then, he turned to leave the meadow and return to the village. "Thank you, Great Deku Sprout."

"Oh Link," said the Great Deku Sprout, stopping Link.

Link turned around and replied, "Yes?"

"The summer festival is in ten days. Thou need not worry so much about the evils of the world. Instead, spend time with thy friends and help them prepare for the upcoming festival," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Thou art home now... 'tis a place of rest and relaxation."

Link smiled, "Yes, you're right. Thank you, Great Deku Sprout. You can bet I'll do that." Then, he turned and ran back toward the village, with Navi following close behind.

"Ah, youth," the Great Deku Sprout said to no one in particular. "Enjoy thy youth whilst thou can, for neither thou nor Saria wilt remain young for much longer."

_end of chapter 10  
_

* * *

I thought I'd write this chapter for a little change of pace. This **is** a Romance / **Adventure** story, after all. We can't have a Zelda story without Link getting into a scuffle with some bad guys, now can we? I know there wasn't nearly as much Saria in this chapter as there was in previous chapters, but I did finally include Princess Ruto. I'll be starting on Chapter 11 very soon... because I assure you, Link's and Saria's adventures are only beginning. All reviews are welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	12. Chapter 11: Summer Festival

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 11

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. After my old computer's OS falling apart _(don't worry, I'd backed up all my data)_ and building a whole new one, and after going though lots of overtime at work, I finally bring you Chapter 11. This chapter will serve to show you where I want to take this fanfic now that Link and Saria are together. I assure you, it will get **very** interesting. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 11: Summer Festival

_The next day..._

Link had spent much of the morning helping a lot of the boys and even a few of the girls with their daily chores. He even took care of some of the odd chores that Mido had been giving out. It was quite odd that Link would spend so much time in the morning doing odd chores. He used to hate doing the various chores when he was younger, especially the ones that Mido liked to torture him with.

However torturous it was for him in the past, Link willingly helped the others with even the oddest jobs. He had spent over two years going through so many ordeals for so many people, so a few odd chores were nothing to Link. And they were far less dangerous too.

So after helping everyone out, Link trekked through the Lost Woods along an all-too-familiar path. Knowing exactly where to find Saria, he made is way toward the Sacred Forest Meadow. Last night, Link and Saria had arranged to meet there just after noon or after the chores were done, whichever came second.

Soon, Link arrived at the Sacred Forest Meadow where the Forest Temple stood. There, on the lone stump near the destroyed stone stairway, sat the lovely young lady. She wore her usual green tunic and shorts over a dark green turtleneck. She wore her beautiful studded golden raindrop locket around her neck, displayed prominently on her chest. However, her feet were bare as she had set her boots aside to feel the grass between her toes.

Saria noticed Link's arrival and immediately jumped up from the stump. She ran barefoot toward him and threw herself into his open arms. "Hi Link," she happily greeted, squeezing him affectionately. "You're late."

As he held Saria, Link looked up to find that the sun had already completed well over half its trip across the sky. "I'm sorry, Saria. I was helping everyone with some of Mido's odd chores. He really piled it on this morning," he explained as he ran his hand up and down Saria's back. "Forgive me?"

"That Mido, always making everyone do more work than they need to. Who's he trying to impress?" Saria grumbled. Then, she turned to Link and smiled warmly. "Of course I forgive you. You're my best friend," she said before placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

Link flushed slightly, yet unnoticeably, at Saria's display of affection. It amazed him just how much their special bond was growing and continued to grow, especially since the night they shared their first kiss.

"Oooh, getting a little lovey dovey, aren't we, you two?" Navi teased.

Link's cheeks flushed even more at Navi's teasing. Saria, however, only turned to the blue fairy and stuck her tongue out at her. Then, she let go of Link and took his left hand in her right. "Come sit with me, Link," she suggested as she led Link toward the stump.

So they walked hand-in-hand across the Sacred Forest Meadow and to their favorite stump. When they arrived, Saria released Link's hand and hopped up onto the stump. Link, however, sat down on the grass to the left of Saria's legs and rested his back against the side of the stump. "Ahh... I always enjoy this place," said Link.

"I enjoy it too. It's so nice and relaxing here by the Forest Temple," Saria agreed. "After all, it **is** our secret place where we can be alone together without the others around to bother us."

"Well, since we're here now, what do you want to do?" Link asked.

Saria giggled, "What do **I** want to do, huh? You were the one who wanted to talk about the Summer Festival."

"Yeah... after yesterday, the Great Deku Sprout suggested it," said Link. "Besides, I'm really excited about it. It's my first Summer Festival in years."

"Yes. And since you're home now, we want to make this year's festival the best one ever," said Saria.

"**That's** why I'm excited about it," said Link.

"So what about the festival do you want to talk about?" Saria asked.

"Well, how 'bout all the stuff you and I are gonna do?" suggested Link.

"Sounds good to me," said Saria. "I want you and me to do an act of our own for the festival."

"Oh? What kind of act?" Link wondered.

"Well, I was thinking, since you came home and brought so many wonderful songs, that you and could share all our new songs," Saria explained.

"Ah, kind of like a music concert, right? Like the one with the Zoras in Termina I told you about?" said Link.

"Exactly like that," said Saria as she hopped down from the stump and sat next to Link. "You and I both have so many wonderful new songs that we haven't shared with the others," she continued. "Do you remember saying something about me sharing my music with everyone and how this festival would be a good start?"

Link turned to Saria and replied, "Of course I remember. You're a great musician. You're not only the best ocarina player I aver met, but you write wonderful songs too. I think you should share your great music with everyone. We all love it."

Saria felt her face heat up from all the flattery, but managed to hold the blushing back very well. "Thanks, Link," she replied. "You're a very good ocarina player too. Plus, you brought home so many wonderful songs from different parts of the world. So I think we both should share our new songs with everyone... **together**. So let's make that our act for the festival."

"Now that's a plan," Link said excitedly. "I'm sure there's going to be all kinds of dancing when we play our songs, just like at my birthday party... just like when I first came home."

"Of course. We Kokiri love songs and dancing. You should remember since you've lived with us all your life," said Saria.

"I know, and now **we** are going to be the ones leading them," said Link.

"So that will be our role during the festival, 'kay?" said Saria.

"Just like Mido's and Kalo's fencing act, right?" said Link.

"Right," Saria replied. "How are you and Kalo doing with all that sword stuff you've been teaching him?"

"We're doing great," Link replied. "Kalo's a good student. He's really picked up a lot of things. I think he's gonna do great during the fencing act and show that smug Mido a thing or two."

"Well, Kalo **does** have a wonderful teacher," said Saria as she scooted closer to Link. "After all those adventures you've been out on, after fighting off so much evil, you've become really good with your sword. That and the fact that Kalo looks up to you makes you a wonderful teacher to him."

"Well, I too used to be picked on a lot by Mido... and still do sometimes," said Link. "I'm just showing Kalo that despite being the youngest Kokiri, he can do great things too."

"Like you?" said Saria, smiling as she playfully poked Link's nose. Her words and her little tease drew a bashful chuckle from Link. "You know, Link, I think Mido chose Kalo as a fencing partner so he could have some easy wins to make himself look good," she continued. "I just can't wait to see the look on Mido's face when Kalo shows him a thing or two."

"Me too," said Link as they both laughed out loud together.

"So Link...," Saria began as she leaned against the stump. "...What do you think about our plans for this festival's play?"

"I think it's pretty neat," Link replied. "As usual, you get one of the best roles, this time as the beautiful Princess."

"Yeah, everybody wanted me to be the Princess in this play," said Saria. "I always get roles like this."

"Well, you're so well-liked by everyone, and always have been. So of course everyone wants you to be in a leading role," said Link. "Besides, we all think you're very pretty. So of course we'd want you to be the Princess. And you act so well too."

"Aww shucks," Saria bashfully said, covering her blushing cheeks with both hands and turning her eyes from Link's.

"But you are. You're a very pretty girl," said Link. "I think you're going to make a wonderful princess."

"Thank you, Link," Saria softly said before she leaned in closer to Link and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You always know how to make me feel so warm inside."

"You're welcome, Saria," said Link as a slight blush formed on his own cheeks. He then turned and leaned back against the stump and sighed. "As for me, I'm not all that great at plays. Any small role with few lines is fine with me."

"Oh don't sell yourself short. You're not bad at all," Saria reassured.

"Yeah. But I always end up getting some of the worst roles in the play. Mido always made me into some kind of servant boy of his or some other kind of whipping boy," said Link.

"But at least you got to be in those plays, and I even showed you that it wasn't so bad after all, right?" said Saria.

"Yeah, you're right," Link agreed. "This year, though, I'm gonna be playing a giant. I swear, Mido's starting to tease me about my size and is making me the giant just to spite me." He then let out a somewhat discontented sigh. "At lease I'm not his whipping boy this time."

"Oh come on, Link, being the giant isn't bad at all," said Saria as she scooted herself almost up against Link. "Everybody wanted you to be the Prince of the other kingdom, but Mido already had that role. In fact, most of the roles were already taken by the time you came home.

"I understand," said Link. He then tilted his head back and glanced up at the sky, and then wondered, "But what's so great about being the giant?"

"Well, you are tall after all... the tallest boy in all of Kokiri Forest," said Saria as she thought about it some more. As she did, she looked into Link's eyes and smiled, and then slid her hand across his chest and rested it on his left shoulder. She then laid her legs across his lap and rested her head against his right shoulder. When she cuddled up to him, she found her answer. "Well, there **is** one good reason why I think the giant suits you very nicely... besides the fact that you're taller than everyone."

Link leaned his head forward again and turned to face Saria. "Oh really? And why is that?" he wondered, cocking an eyebrow.

"Because...," Saria began as she slid her other arm around the small of Link's back. "He's a friendly giant. But more than that, he's the Princess's best friend. The giant is the only one who likes the Princess for the girl that she is rather than just because she's the princess. The Prince is just the one who saves the princess from an evil monster, while the Giant is a true friend to the princess. That's why I think the role of the Giant suits you so well."

"You really think so, huh?" said Link as the idea of being the Giant started to appeal to him.

"Mmhmmm, I know so," Saria replied, nuzzling her cheek against Link's shoulder.

"Because we really are the best friends in the whole world, right?" said Link as he wrapped his arms around Saria's shoulders and embraced her tightly.

"Mmhmmm," Saria replied. She then closed her eyes and let the feeling of being in Link's arms envelop her.

After a silent moment of holding each other tenderly, Link spoke up. "Hey Saria, you wanna go ahead and practice some of our new songs that we're gonna play?" he asked. "We have all afternoon, and I brought my fairy ocarina with me."

"Uh-uh, I wanna stay like this," Saria replied, clutching Link and nuzzling her head against his shoulder affectionately. "I really like being close to you. Don't you like it too?"

"Yes... of course I do," Link replied as he lovingly squeezed Saria and leaned his head on hers. "I really like being close to you too."

"Then let's stay like this. I don't care how late we stay here," suggested Saria.

"Won't the others worry and come looking for us?" Link asked.

"Let them," said Saria as she began to caress Link's shoulder and chest. "They know they won't make it very far into the Lost Woods."

Link chuckled, "Oh yeah, I'm sure they won't."

"Don't you two worry. We'll leave you two be and keep a watch out, just in case somebody finally gets brave enough and makes it this far into the Lost Woods," said Spryte.

"Which I doubt will ever happen," Navi added.

So the two guardian fairies flew off to stand, or rather hover guard near the bottom of the stone steps leading to the Sacred Forest Meadow, leaving Link and Saria to snuggle together. And that was the way Link and Saria stayed well into the evening.

_Nine days later..._

After all the hard work and preparations over the last few weeks, after all the rehearsals, and after so much planning, the day of the annual summer festival had finally arrived. It was on this day, the first day of the first month of summer, when all the Deku flowers would finally bloom and the fruit of all the lesser Deku trees would ripen. On this day, the Kokiri would celebrate by decorating much of the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, similar to what was done for Link's welcome home party. They would also take part in different festivities which included song and dance and even some games.

But the real focus of the celebration was the various acts that most of the Kokiri would put on. Every year featured different acts, each showcasing the vivid imaginations of the Kokiri children. Many of them were short and simple acts with two to four participants, some were complex and well-planned, while others were improvisations. But the final act was the crown jewel of the entire festival, in which many of the children of Kokiri Forest participated. The final act was a long and elaborate play, one that told a story like one out of a book.

In the days before the festival, each participating Kokiri would carve their own mask, unique to the characters of their acts. The reason they did this stemmed from the whole purpose of all the festivities in the first place. They all served not only to celebrate the bloom, but also to join their guardian deity in driving evil spirits out of the forest. The masks that the Kokiri carved and wore were the tools that empowered them to drive out those evil spirits.

This year, the Kokiri worked extra hard to decorate the entire Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. After doing so well with the elaborate decorations at Link's party, they just had to do better for the big festival. Streamers and banners of many colors decorated almost every tree and shrub around the meadow. If that wasn't enough, numerous wooden stands, roughly the size of an adult Hylian, stood all over the meadow. They provided placed to hang more banners, anchor balloons, hold torches, and run more streamers.

However, very few tables and chairs stood about. Unlike the birthday parties, the Kokiri preferred to stand or sit in the grass during the various acts. The summer festival was one where the Kokiri could be in intimate touch with nature. And what better way is there to be in intimate touch with nature than to sit in the grass the way nature intended? But, despite few chairs, the Kokiri build a very elaborate stage, much more than in previous years. They built numerous stands for torches and a large framework for the red stage curtain. They also built a fairly large stage floor that stood no more than a foot off the ground. The whole stage stood some distance in front of the Great Deku Sprout, where he and the Kokiri not participating could all watch the acts together.

So with the entire meadow decorated, the tasty food and snacks ready, and the stage set, the Great Deku Sprout gathered everyone from Kokiri Forest to begin the festivities. And to start things off, Link and Saria emerged from the group and approached the Great Deku Sprout. They stood to either side of him, with Link to his left and Saria to his right. Then, they turned to face the crowd.

"Everyone," Saria announced, getting everyone's attention. "To start off this festival, Link and I bring all of you all kinds of wonderful new songs. We all know Link has traveled the world the last two years, and the songs that he played upon his return home were only **some** of those songs that he learned."

"And Saria has shown me a lot of her new songs too," Link added. "Now, she and I want to share our new songs with everyone."

"So let's get this party started," said Saria as she and Link took out their fairy ocarinas, with the Kokiri cheering them on.

For their first song, Link and Saria began with the upbeat, festive, yet familiar song from Clock Town. It was the same song that Link introduced when he first returned home, and one he and Saria played at his party. So as Link and Saria plated the familiar tune, the other Kokiri began to jump, prance, and dance about.

But that wasn't the only song, of course. Their next couple songs were two of the upbeat songs Link had learned from the Oracle of Seasons' dance troupe in Holodrum. Just like Link had experienced when he had first heard the songs, the Kokiri danced some of the best and even the silliest dances that kids usually did. The songs were written to dance to, after all.

For the next hour or so, Link and Saria played their new songs while everyone danced away. The songs included a few songs that Link had learned in Termina, in Holodrum, in Labrynna, and even the one song from the outer islands. Some of Saria's songs included her classic _"Saria's Song"_, a number of Irish-like folk pieces, and even a few slower Celtic pieces, including the one she had played for Link before their moonlight rendezvous.

When they finished their last duet, Link put his ocarina away and rejoined the crowd while Saria stayed by the Great Deku Sprout. "Okay everyone, for my last song, I will play a much more relaxing song, one inspired by the birds that fly in the sky," Saria announced.

"I think I know what song she's gonna play," Link said in a quieter voice.

"If it's the one about flying in the sky, then it's a very pretty song," said Navi. "Everyone will surely like it as I do."

Saria placed the mouthpiece of her ocarina to her lips and played a few quick scales. Then, she closed her eyes and began playing her song. It wasn't a slow song like _"Eyes"_ was, but it was nonetheless a beautiful melody.

The Kokiri all sat in the grass and listened attentively as Saria gave her recital. Some of them closed their eyes and absorbed the beautiful melody, while a few others slowly rocked side-to-side with the song's rhythm. Link, however, just leaned back and sighed happily as he listened to Saria's beautiful song.

'Such a beautiful song,' Link thought to himself as Saria played the song's chorus. 'She's really good, an always has been. And she writes such wonderful songs too. It's really too bad she can't leave the forest, because everyone in Hyrule and even beyond would love her songs. If only she could share her songs with the world...'

After a few minutes of completely mesmerizing her audience, Saria finally reached the end of her song. When she did, she held her ocarina against her chest and gave a deep bow to her audience. All the Kokiri, and especially Link, stood and applauded and cheered as Saria stood back upright and rejoined the crowd.

"You were great, Saria," said Mimi as Saria walked by her.

"That was such a beautiful song," one of the twins added.

"Please play some more songs," the other twin pleaded.

"I have some more songs, but I'll play them later in the festival, 'kay?" said Saria.

"Promise?" Fado pleaded as Saria approached her and Link.

"Of course," Saria replied, smiling as she took her seat between Fado and Link.

Soon, as the sun completed nearly half its journey across the summer sky, everyone turned around and faced the stage. The first short acts of the summer festival were about to begin. To kick off the first act, a short and stocky young Kokiri boy with shaggy brown hair and green eyes named Bunto stood up on the stage and faced the crowd.

"For the first act," Bunto announced in a loud voice, getting everyone's attention, "the twins, Lami and Lare, will try to bake their very first cake... and not blow up the kitchen."

Most of the Kokiri, including Link and Saria, chuckled and giggled at Bunto's introduction. After he stepped aside, the twins walked onto the stage and began their act. This particular short act was a rather comical act as the bumbling twins got into petty arguments, made a mess of the kitchen, and ran around as their oven caught fire. In the end, after their fourth attempt and at the cost of the whole kitchen, they finally made their very first cake.

Other acts that followed included: fishing in a pond, acting like monkeys in the trees, impersonations of some of the other Kokiri, a welcome home act for Link, and even a monster act. Between every few acts, the Kokiri would have intermission for snacks, games, and another song from Saria.

For the final short act, Bunto stepped onto the stage. When he did, Link and Saria both stood and moved to the very front of the crowd. They both knew what act was coming up.

"For the last act before afternoon supper, we will have a sword fighting contest," Bunto announced. "On the right side of the stage, we have Mido, the Boss of the Kokiri. And on the left side of the stage, we have the youngest of us all, Kalo. They will be putting their sword skills to the test against each other. May the best boy win."

Bunto then quickly hopped down and rejoined the crowd. Then, Mido and Kalo hopped on either side of the stage, holding shortened Deku sticks in their hands. They took their places in the center of the stage, no more than ten paces from each other, and stared each other down.

"You ready for a beating, you little shrimp?" Mido taunted.

"Ready to take you down, you big bully," Kalo responded.

"Yeah, Brother Mido, beat that little pipsqueak," one of the boys from Mido's posse cheered.

"Show him not to mess with the Great Mido," another posse boy cheered.

"Those boys... always so rude," Saria grumbled to herself. Then, she turned to the stage and cheered, "Go Kalo! You can do it!"

"Yeah Kalo, show Mido the stuff you're made of. It's just like I showed you," Link added.

Mido and Kalo raised their makeshift swords in front of their faces, giving the traditional fencing salute. Then, they readied their sticks, assumed the "en garde" stance, and began the first round. Mido gave Kalo a cocky grin and took a few quick shuffling steps toward him.

With each shuffle, Kalo twitched his stick up a little in anticipation. Then, Mido lunched forward at the young boy. Kalo raised his stick and successfully blocked Mido's attack. Then, Mido whacked Kalo's stick hard, knocking it aside and leaving Kalo wide open. This allowed Mido to deliver a few slaps to Kalo's arm and hip.

"Alright Mido!" a member of Mido's posse cheered.

"Way to go, Brother Mido," another posse boy cheered.

"No, Kalo," Saria gasped as she facepalmed and shook her head.

Link, however, quickly stood up and approached the stage. "Kalo, come here a sec," he said. Kalo complied and approached Link. "You okay, Kalo?" Link asked.

"Yeah, it's harder than I thought," Kalo replied. "He just hit my stick really hard and got me right after that."

"Relax, buddy. It's only the first round," Link reassured. "Do you remember everything I taught you about energy and movement?"

Kalo nodded in response, "Uh-huh."

"Well, when Mido hit your sword so hard, he gave you that energy," Link explained. "It's not just how you use your moves against him, but also how you use **his** moves against him. It's just like we practiced since the first day."

"Right. Gotcha, Link," Kalo replied more enthusiastically.

"You can do it," Link cheered as Kalo went back to his place on the stage. Link turned and quickly rejoined the crowd, sitting next to Saria as the second round began.

In this round, Mido once again shuffled toward Kalo and then leaped at him like a tiger. This time, instead of raising his stick to block Mido's leaping attack, Kalo simply sidestepped and dodged the attack. And right before Mido could turn to face the young Kokiri boy, Kalo slapped Mido on his left arm, thus winning the second round.

"Oh lucky shot! That's rubbish!" one of the posse boys jeered.

"C'mon Mido, you can't let that little pipsqueak beat you," said another posse boy.

Both Mido and Kalo took their places on the stage and raised their sticks to salute each other. Mido took his time this round, cautiously approaching Kalo. Kalo, however, didn't even twitch as Mido scooted closer. Then suddenly, Mido took a few steps forward and began swinging at Kalo. Kalo raised his stick in response and quickly blocked every side, down, and upward swing that Mido threw at him. Kalo then tried to counter by thrusting, but Mido jumped back and started swinging again.

Then, Mido took a big swing at Kalo's shoulder. But Kalo, having seen Mido do it before, ducked under the swinging stick and quickly whacked Mido on both legs.

"Wow, Kalo's getting really good," said Fado as a number of Kokiri cheered for Kalo's win.

"He's really taking it to Mido," the twins, Lami and Lare, both added.

"Well, that's because he had a good teacher," said Saria, referring to Link. Then she turned back to the stages and cheered, "Yay, Kalo! Keep it up!"

Both boys took their positions, gave their traditional fencing salute, and began the fourth round. This time, Kalo slowly approached Mido, while Mido only took a couple steps forward. As soon as Kalo got close enough, Mido lunged forward and swung. He barely missed as Kalo jumped back and out of the way. Kalo inched closer again, keeping his stick at the ready. Mido lunged again, this time striking Kalo's stick. Kalo quickly countered by spinning around and swinging at Mido. They ended up clashing sticks back and forth like a pair of pirates.

After a minute of clashing their shortened Deku sticks, Mido leaped back, raised his stick, and charged at Kalo. Mido then took one powerful baseball-style swing at the young boy. But that proved useless as Kalo ducked and side-rolled out of the way. Not only that, upon completing his roll, he leaped into the air and struck Mido on the arm on the way up.

"Yes!" Link whooped, pumping his left arm in celebration.

"Wow! That was a good one," Fado commented.

The posse boys, however, began blubbering, "No! Brother Mido... you can't be losing to that little shrimp."

The fifth round, however, started off quickly. Mido charged at Kalo with his crossed in front of him, ready to swing. Kalo only stood still with his stick at the ready. But as Mido got close to him, he relaxed, quickly stood up straight, and sidestepped out of the way. And right as Midi passed him by, Kalo gripped his stick and slapped him on the rear twice.

That one swift motion drew some laughs from most of the Kokiri as Mido grabbed and rubbed his stinging bum. As quickly as the fifth round had started, it ended with a comical slap to the rear. And with the act coming to an end, Bunto hopped up onto the stage. "And the winner of the sword fighting contest is... Kalo!" he announced.

And all the Kokiri cheered with a nearly thunderous roar. However, the boys from Mido's posse only blubbered even more.

"First he loses to Mr. No Fairy years ago," one posse boy blubbered.

"And now he loses to the little shrimp," another posse boy added as they all blubbered.

No one, however, cheered more loudly than Link. Even over the whooping and hollering of the crowd of Kokiri, Link's cheers carried throughout the meadow. He leaped to his feet and ran up to the stage. He stepped onto the slightly elevated stage and ran over to his young protégé.

"Kalo, you did it!" said Link as he hugged Kalo.

"Did I do good?" Kalo asked as he hugged Link back.

"You were great," Link replied.

"And I have you to thank for teaching me your great sword moves," said Kalo.

"You're very welcome, little buddy," said Link as he let Kalo go.

"Hey Kalo, little shrimp," Mido called out.

Both boys turned toward Mido to see him with a rather stern look on his face. He slowly walked up to Kalo, his face remaining as stern as ever. But when he stood nearly toe-to-toe with the young Kokiri boy, his words shocked both Kalo and Link.

"I just wanted to say... I'm sort," he said. "I'm sorry for saying that a little guy like you would never be a good fencer." He then extended his right hand out to Kalo, "You did good, Kalo. You did real good."

"Thanks, Mido," said Kalo as he and Mido shook hands. "You wanna do it again sometime?"

"Sure," Mido replied.

'Well, at least Mido will respect him now,' Link thought to himself, smiling as the boys shook hands and made up.

_An hour later..._

After the Kokiri all had their afternoon supper, most of them, namely the ones participating in the play, went to their houses. There, they changed into their costumes and grabbed their masks. Link's costume consisted of a simple white tunic with a brown belt, similar to what the postmen wore. With it, he wore a pair of lightweight brown elf shoes. As for his mask, he carved it to look like that of a very stern Goron, namely his friend Darunia, the leader of the Gorons. The face of a Goron was one that Link felt was very fitting to his role as a giant. Thus, it made choosing such a mask easy.

But when he left his house, he found Saria waiting for him near the bottom of his ladder. "Hi Link," she greeted while waving at him.

Saria was wearing a beautiful blue dress with a full-length skirt. It had puffed shoulders, a turtleneck, and sleeves that reached barely halfway down her upper arms. With it, she wore a pair of long white gloves that went just past her elbows. Link gasped at how amazing she looked.

Saria giggled at Link's reaction, "You like?"

"You... you really do look like a princess... a **real** princess," Link replied.

"Why thank you, Link," Saria replied. "Your costume looks great too. It's a nice and simple piece very fitting to your role." She then looked Link over, up and down, and winked at him. "And... you look good in white," she commented.

"Really?" Link said, feeling his cheeks heat up a little. Yet, he kept himself from blushing, "Thanks, Saria." Then, he climbed down his ladder and joined his beautiful friend. "Ready for the play?" he asked.

"Of course I am," Saria replied. "The question is: are **you** ready for the play?"

"And just what do you mean by that?" said Link, giving Saria a knowing look.

"Well, it's been over two years since your last play," said Saria. "Besides, you were the one who said that you weren't very good at plays."

"Believe me, Saria, I'm as ready as I'll ever be," said Link. "Come. Let's go be in the play together."

"Okay," Saria replied. Then, the two walked through the village and toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow together.

..

Later, with everyone assembled, both participants and audience alike, the play began. The play involved a large cast of over thirty characters, ranging from simple peasants and servants, to monsters, to the main characters. The play itself was a medieval adventure story, featuring Saria as the Princess of the Northern Kingdom, and Mido as the valiant Prince of the Southern Kingdom.

Link, playing the part of the Giant, actually had a decent number of lines compared to what he's had in previous plays. Over the last nine days, Link had practiced hard on his lines. He often sought the help of Saria and even the Know-It-All Brothers. Even today, Link couldn't remember all of the lines very well. It was no wonder that he was feeling a bit of the jitters.

Since Link's character didn't come into the play until toward the end of the first of three acts, it gave him plenty of time to sit aside and practice the lines in his head. Not only that, he watched both Saria's and Mido's separate performances. Saria was a well-respected but rather lonely princess who had almost no friends of her own. Mido, however, was the traveling adventurer who sought glory through achieving many great feats. And no glory would be greater than winning the love of the Northern Kingdom's princess.

Needless to say, Link was intrigued by their performances. And it only made him even more nervous to step onto that stage near the end of the first act. 'Okay Link, no need to be nervous,' he thought to himself. 'You don't even have that many lines in the first act. So just go out there and be the Giant.'

Soon, the time for the Giant's appearance finally arrived. Link stood up and took one deep breath. 'This is it, Link. You can do it,' he thought to himself. And with that little bit of self-encouragement, he donned his mask and stepped onto the stage.

"Oh no, it's that big ugly giant!" a Kokiri playing one of the peasants yelled.

"We must chase him out of our city," another Kokiri peasant yelled.

"Throw sticks at him!" yelled another Kokiri peasant.

"Throw rocks at him!" suggested the first Kokiri.

"Throw anything at him!" the second yelled as they all began throwing crumpled balls of paper at him.

"Stop!" Link pleaded as he tried to shield himself from the onslaught of paper balls. "I just want to see the princess."

"Get out of our city, you big ugly oaf!" the peasants yelled as they kept throwing balls of paper at Link.

"Please, stop!" Link pleaded as he fell to his knees and covered his face.

"Our princess doesn't deal with big ugly giants like you," said the lead peasant.

"So get out of our city and don't come back," said another.

"All of you stop it right this instant!" Saria yelled offstage, startling the peasants.

They all turned around and gasped, "Y-y-y Your Highness...," they all stuttered as they backed up across the stage to where Link sat on his knees and groveled before her.

When they did, Saria stepped onto the stage, not wearing her mask but rather a very stern look on her face. "How dare you act that way toward that giant, throwing rocks at him like that," she firmly scolded. "He is an honored guest at my castle, and you dare treat him this way? I'm so ashamed of you, every one of you."

"We're so sorry, Your Highness," the lead peasant whimpered.

"We didn't know this giant was our guest," said another.

"If I ever see any of you bully this giant again, I swear to the goddesses I will have my father raise your taxes and maybe even throw you in the dungeon," Saria snarled. "Now go home, all of you."

As the peasants hastily exited the stage, Link sat there speechless and amazed at Saria's performance. Immediately, he thought about all the times that Saria had stood up for him whenever Mido and his posse picked on him and bullied him just because he had no fairy like they did.

"Come on, Link, say your lines," one of the Kokiri girls offstage whispered loudly.

'Yes, the Princess stands up for her friend, the Giant,' Link thought to himself. 'It's just like all the times that Saria used to stand up for me. I **can** do this."

"Come on, Link. We're waiting on you," another Kokiri whispered loudly.

"P... Princess!" Link cried out. He leaped to his feet and ran over to Saria, throwing his arms around her. "Those people... I just wanted to come see you, but they were being so mean to me. Just because I'm a giant... they pick on me."

"What's he doing?" one of the girls offstage wondered.

"That's not the Giant's line," said one of the boys.

Saria, however, only wrapped her arms around Link and clutched him tightly. "Shhh... it's okay. I'm here now," she softly said, gently stroking his back. "Those people won't bother you anymore. If they pick on you again, you tell me, 'kay?"

"Okay," Link replied.

Saria then let go of Link and said, "Now come on, let's go to the castle."

"Alright," Link replied as he and Saria exited the stage and the audience applauded.

"Link did really good," Fado commented. "That's the best acting I've ever seen Link do in a play."

"But he didn't even follow the script," said one of the boys from Mido's posse.

"Who cares?" said Kalo, who was also a cast member along with Fado, the twins, the Know-It-All Brothers, and Mido's posse. "Link did good, and everyone likes it. So what if he didn't say the right lines?"

And soon, the first act ended with the red curtain coming down. The meadow resonated with applause from both the audience and the cast members. During intermission, Saria approached Link and gave him a big hug. "You did great," she commented.

"Thanks, Saria," Link replied.

"How did you come up with those lines," Saria wondered. "They weren't in the script, but they were great."

"Well, since the Giant and the Princess are best friends, I just thought about our friendship and how you used to stand up for me," Link explained.

"Really? You thought about us as you played your role?" said Saria with her face brightening.

"Well, yeah," Link replied. "Thinking about our friendship really helped."

Saria smiled at Link's response, "You see? This role is perfect for you. Now, we got a big scene in Act Two, the big heart-to-heart talk between the Giant and the Princess. Are you ready for it?"

"Am I ever," Link replied.

_Fifteen minutes later, Act Two..._

After their short intermission, and after those in the audience had grabbed some snacks, Act Two began. The act started off with Mido, playing the part of the valiant Prince, embarking on yet another dangerous adventure, slaying monsters and hunting evil-doers.

Once again, Mido had a lot of the good lines that could become memorable quotes throughout all of Hyrule if the Kokiri could ever leave the forest. And once again, Link sat offstage, amazed at Mido's acting ability. His acting was easily the best in the whole play, with Saria's coming in at a very close second. As much as Mido used to pick on Link and act very haughty toward him, he had to admit that Mido would make an excellent actor if he wasn't bound to the forest by the decree of the generations of Great Deku Trees.

Link's appearance in Act Two would not come until the middle, and that was his highlight scene with his heart-to-heart talk with the Princess. After improvising so well at the end of Act One, turning what was to be for or 5 short lines into one long and memorable one, Link was feeling much more confident. For this upcoming scene, he decided to just throw the script right out the window and just be his true self. After all, he really was Saria's best friend, just like the Giant was the Princess's.

"Link?" a voice whispered, breaking him from his thoughts. He turned around to see Fado smiling at him. "Your big scene is coming up. Are you ready?" she asked.

"You bet I am," Link replied with an enthusiastic whisper.

"We all loved your performance," said Fado. "You go out there with Saria and knock them dead."

"Alright," said Link, his voice carrying just a bit.

"Hey, keep it down, you big oaf," a boy from Mido's posse harshly whispered. "Don't ruin Brother Mido's moment."

"Sorry," Link whispered.

Soon, after Mido exited the stage, Saria entered from the side of the stage opposite to where Link sat. She then turned her face toward the side of the stage from there she came, with her back slightly toward the audience. Then, she dropped to her knees, buried her face in her hands, and began to weep, thus beginning the scene.

"Your Highness, please come out," said one of the girls playing one of the Princess's attendants as she knocked on the stage floor as if knocking on a door. "Everyone at the dinner table is waiting for you."

"Go away," Saria whimpered.

"But Your Highness...," said the girl.

"I said go away," Saria yelled and continued crying.

"There's your cue," Kalo whispered to Link. "Go out there and cheer our princess up."

Link took a deep breath, donned his hand-made Goron mask, and entered the stage. He slowly walked up to Saria, stomping on the stage like the giant he was playing.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Link asked, sticking to what he remembered of the script to start out. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying because all I ever do is stay at the castle and go to these royal dinners with my father and all his friends and other important people," Saria whimpered. "I'm nothing but a figurehead... a prize for my father to show off to all his friends. I don't even have any friends of my own. Why does Father get to have friends and I don't?"

"That's not true," said Link. "The people of this city love you. They think you're an absolutely beautiful princess. They respect you. They hail to you. They love you more than they love the King."

"But... but... the people aren't my friends. They just love me because I'm the Princess," said Saria.

"Well, you do have one friend," said Link as he walked around Saria, kneeled down in front of her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You have me, don't you? Aren't I your best friend in the whole world?"

'In the whole world, huh? Just like you and me, huh?' Saria thought to herself.

"He's changing the script again," Mido whispered harshly in protest. "Who does Growing Boy think he is?"

"Hey now, I like it," said Fado.

"Me too," Kalo agreed.

"So let him," said Bunto. "Link's doing good. Don't ruin his moment."

"Yes... you are my best friend," said Saria to Link. "You're the one who likes me for who I am and not just because I'm the Princess and my father's beloved daughter. You may be a really big giant, but you have a really big heart. I just wish there were more people like you in the world."

"Aww shucks, Princess," Link said as he threw his arms around Saria. He hugged her tightly as he blushed behind his mask. His blushing wasn't just because his character probably would, but he really was blushing from what Saria herself was saying to him. 'She really thinks this way, huh?' Link thought to himself as he hugged Saria tighter, knowing they were just getting started with this scene. 'If only she knew how I really feel toward her...'

"Fire!" one of the girls suddenly screamed, grabbing everyone's attention, including Link's and Saria's.

Link let go of Saria, turned around, and raised his mask to see one of the twins, still in costume, running toward the stage from the village at high speed. "There's a huge fire in the village!" the twin screamed.

Everyone gasped loudly at what they heard.

"Oh no, the village," Link said as he leaped up and took off at full speed toward the village with Navi in tow.

"Wait! Link!" Saria called out, reaching futilely for Link as he ran off toward the village. Then, she and the other Kokiri looked over the treetops and found large amounts of brownish-gray smoke rising from the village. "No... not our homes," she gasped.

Suddenly, the crowd of Kokiri erupted into a dull roar with a few screams as they all stood up and followed Link.

When Link arrived at the village, his eyes popped wide open at the sight before him and fell to his knees. "Oh... my... goddesses...," he gasped.

"Oh no... the village... is burning," Navi gasped. "But... why?"

Many of the trees and shrubs in and around the village were engulfed in flames. And as Link glanced in awe at the burning village, he suddenly remembered a dream just like this that he had ten days ago. In fact, he had other dreams like this too, dreams that seemed to beckon him every time he dreamt them. Now, as he stared in awe at the burning village, he knew why.

Soon, the other Kokiri began pouring into the village. When their eyes fell upon the burning trees and shrubs, they all gasped loudly and froze. Some Kokiri started screaming, while others began crying. Never in any of their lives has the village or even the trees around Kokiri Forest gone up in flames. So needless to say, they were all terrified.

Link, however, had seen all kinds of fires. The first was the fire at Hyrule Castle and Hyrule Castle Town when Ganondorf attacked. Another he was in Holodrum when General Onox attacked a town and kidnapped the Oracle of Seasons. And after having seen those fires, Link was not about to let his home be consumed by fire as well.

Strangely yet fortunately, none of the houses were on fire. That little oddity gave Link some hope. "We've got to do something," he said to Navi as he leaped up and ran to the shop.

"What's he doing?" one of the Know-It-All Brothers wondered.

In moments, numerous buckets began to fly out of the shop. And then, Link emerged from the shop, holding a bunch more buckets in his arms. "Everyone, grab a bucket!" Link ordered as he dropped the buckets to the ground. "We gotta try and put these fires out and save our homes."

"You heard Growing Boy, grab a bucket and move it," Mido ordered. And when he did, all the Kokiri grabbed a bucket and dipped them into the big pond in the middle of the village. Then, they spread out like cockroaches in a light and threw the buckets of water onto the burning shrubs.

Most of the Kokiri had buckets and were tossing water onto the burning trees and shrubs. Others, however, stayed at the pond and kept filling buckets, handing them off as either Link or one of the other Kokiri brought an empty one. Any outsider would be amazed at the Kokiri's well-organized attempt at were firefighting. Not only that, they were making progress too.

Suddenly, a high-pitched and maniacal cackle filled all of Kokiri Forest and grabbed everyone's attention. Everyone stopped what they were doing and clanked all about, looking for the one who dared laugh at their misery. Link, however, looked up toward the sky. There, he found a strange-looking old woman hovering over the forest on a broomstick. She wore a black robe with white markings and a large silver circlet with a large red jewel hanging from the center. She had a huge ugly nose, wrinkly skin, and bright hair that seemed to be engulfed in ethereal flames.

"Koume...," Link concluded under his breath.

"Is that... her? Twinrova?" Navi gasped.

"Now look at you little wretches, running around scared, trying to put out my fire," Koume taunted.

Then suddenly, she raised her wand and formed a large circular rune in the air, thus charging her powers. Then, she aimed at the village and blasted the trees and shrubs with an intense beam of fire. Despite the Kokiri's valiant efforts, Koume's swift beam of fire rendered all their hard work useless and engulfed the trees and shrubs in flames once again.

"Good, now that I have your attention... children of this wretched forest, your trees and shrubs have fallen to my fire, and all your pitiful attempts to put them out are futile. Now, bring me the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, or I will burn down the rest of your pitiful little village," Koume demanded.

"Spiritual Stone? What's a Spiritual Stone?" Mido wondered as he shrugged. "And what does this ugly old hag want with it."

"I'm scared," Fado cried.

"She's gonna burn down our homes," the twins cried.

"No... not Kokiri's Emerald," Saria gasped.

"We can't give it to her, it's our most sacred treasure," said Link. "Even the Great Deku Tree died while protecting it from Ganondorf. But she's not gonna get away with setting our village on fire."

And quickly, Link took off running toward his house. He leaped up onto his ladder and scurried up and burst into his house. Inside, he grabbed his sword and shield and quickly strapped them on. Then, he ran to his bed and reached his item bag.

"Wait? You're gonna fight her?" Navi exclaimed.

"I have to," Link replied, turning to his guardian fairy. "She'll burn down the village if I don't. Plus, we can't put this huge fire out as long as she's around."

"Yes... you're right. I understand. Let's do it," said Navi.

Link quickly removed his bow and quiver of arrows from his item bag. He then quickly strapped both the quiver and item bag to his right hip. Armed and ready, Link ran out of his house with Navi following close behind. He leaped down from his balcony and ran toward the open field to meet Koume. Seeing the old Gerudo witch still hovering overhead, Link gripped his bow tightly in his right hand, extracted an arrow from his quiver with his left, and knocked it. Then, with a small blue charm around his left wrist, he charged the arrow, surrounding it in an aura of sub-zero air, and drew the bow.

Just before Link released the icy arrow, Koume spied the boy in white. "What's this?" she wondered just as Link fired at her. "Eeek! Ice!" she shrieked and quickly bolted to the side, dodging the arrow.

"Missed her!" Link chided to himself and grabbed another arrow.

"So, the fairy boy wants to fight, huh?" Koume taunted as she gripped her wand. "Well then, I'll just have to burn him to the bone with my fire." And with that, she raised her wand and formed her circular rune in the air in front of her, charging her attack.

"Watch out, Link!" She's about to attack," Navi warned,

Link quickly drew his bow and charged the arrow with the chilling power of ice. And right as Koume was about to launch her attack, Link fired his ice arrow at her, hoping to hit her while she was busy charging her attack. Koume, however, reacted quickly and bolted to the side, dodging the icy arrow. She also lost her concentration in the process and thus interrupted her attack.

"Dammit, missed again," Link cursed.

"Hey, at least you stopped her from attacking," said Navi.

"Yeah, but I only have maybe twenty more arrows," said Link. "I can't just keep stopping her attacks. I'll end up running out of arrows. I have to hit her."

So Link knocked yet another arrow and charged it with ice, while Koume formed another rune to charge her attack. Link aimed right for her big ugly nose and released the arrow. Once again, Koume reacted quickly, interrupted her attack, and ducked down to dodge Link's ice arrow.

Link let out a discontented sigh.

"She's just too fast, Link," said Navi. "Face it, she's just gonna keep dodging your arrows."

"Yeah, I know," Link somberly said, and then thought to himself, 'How am I gonna defeat her?' And suddenly, an idea struck his mind like lightning, and he turned to Navi, "Hey Navi, can you target her and guide my arrow to her?"

"I think so," Navi replied.

"Good, 'cause I'm gonna shoot and arrow at her and quickly draw another," Link explained. "Right when she dodges my first arrow, I want you to guide my second one to her, okay?"

"Okay," Navi replied.

So Link grabbed two arrows in his left hand. He knocked the first one, while letting the other hand just out of the way. He charged the arrow with ice just as Koume formed yet another rune to charge her powers. Link quickly aimed and fired at Koume. "Navi, now!" he barked as he very quickly knocked the other arrow.

Navi jumped onto the shaft of the arrow as Link charged it with ice. As expected, Koume dodged the first arrow. But when she did, Link fired the second one at her.

Navi gripped the arrow tightly in her hands and flapped her wings to steer the arrow toward Koume. Once certain of her aim, Navi released the arrow and flew back. Link strategy proved to be ingenious as the ice arrow struck Koume in the chest, freezing her in mid-air.

"Yes! Good going, Navi!" Link celebrated. He quickly put his bow away and drew his sword as Koume's frozen body fell toward the ground.

"Anything I can do to help, dear," Navi replied.

Link ran at Koume just as she closed in on the ground. Right before she hit, the ice shattered and freed her. But before she could react, Link lunged at her and struck her with his sword. He then slashed at her a few more times, and finished with a swift and powerful spin attack. That last swift blow sent Koume flying back into a nearby tree.

"Nooo... the energy here... is getting too strong," Koume grunted as she struggled to push herself off the three. "Powers... are weakening. Can't... stay here."

Link gripped his sword tightly and kept it at the ready just in case the old Gerudo witch was bluffing. But Koume only looked at the determined boy in the eyes and floated upward.

"You win this fight, boy," said Koume. "Since you won't hand over the Spiritual Stone, you can just watch your pitiful little village burn to the ground." And with that last remark, Koume turned and flew away, cackling maniacally.

"You did it, Link. You chased her away," Navi praised.

"Yeah," Link replied somberly as he sheathed his sword. "But... what about the village?"

They both turned around to find Saria running toward them as fast as she could in a full-length skirt. But it wasn't Saria that really grabbed their attention, but rather the sight all around them. Despite all the Kokiri's efforts, the fire only grew more intense thanks to Koume's interference.

"Oh... no...," Link gasped.

"Link, the fire's getting worse," Saria cried out. "You gotta help us put it out."

Despite her pleas, all Link could do was gaze about with his mouth hanging open in awe. The fire was quickly getting worse all around him. It was only a matter of time before the first few houses would catch fire. As he glanced about, he once again couldn't help but think about all the dreams of fires that he had since coming home. But, the one dream from ten days ago kept flashing in his mind. The visions of the village burning, and the Kokiri children screaming in sheer terror stuck out in his head.

"Come on, Link, help us," Saria screamed.

"Yeah Link, let's go," said Navi.

'I... I don't want that dream to come true,' Link thought to himself. 'But... we can't put out a fire this huge. Buckets of water alone aren't going to do it. It's gonna take a lot of water to fight this fire, like bringing in a bunch of men or...'

And suddenly, another idea landed right in Link's lap. '...Or a storm,' he thought. 'Yes... a storm. Maybe I **can** help save this village.'

With that plan in mind, Link ran toward the center of the village and right up to the bottom of the highest hilltop. There, he stopped and reached into his item bag.

"Come on, Link, let's go," said Saria as she ran up to him from behind.

Link then pulled out the Ocarina of Time and held it in both hands, covering all the holes with his fingers. Then, he raised it toward his lips.

Saria, however, became outraged at Link's actions and snapped at him, "Link, what are you doing?"

"I know a song that'll work for something like this," Link replied.

"What?" Saria furiously exclaimed. "The village is on fire, we're all about to lose our homes, and all you're gonna do is play that damn ocarina?"

"Saria!" Link snapped back, shutting Saria up. Then, he held the shiny blue ocarina out to her, "This is the Ocarina of Time. Its songs have magical powers, don't you remember?"

Saria, calming herself somewhat from her outrage, nodded in reply.

"I know a song that'll help us. Just trust me, okay?" said Link.

"Umm... okay," Saria replied a little more calmly, still doubtful of his intentions.

"You might want to get everyone inside," suggested Link as he raised the Ocarina of Time to his lips. "There's gonna be one hell of a storm coming this way."

"I see now," Saria replied as she turned and ran back to where the other Kokiri were still trying to put out the fire. There, she began yelling and giving out orders, telling everyone to grab their buckets and get inside.

Link placed the Ocarina of Time to his lips and began playing the first few notes of the quick-paced _"Song of Storms"_.

As he played the song, many dark storm clouds began to gather in the sky all around the forest. Soon, the wind started to pick up, blowing the smoke away from Kokiri Forest. Minutes later, once the storm clouds had gathered, thunder rumbled throughout the forest. After the first few claps of thunder, Link braced himself against the side of the highest hilltop in the village and continued playing the fast-paced song.

In no time at all, the first few drops of rain began to fall, touching the skin of Link's hands and face. And just as quickly as those first few drops fell, the sky opened and unleashed a torrential downpour on the forest. Even as lightning began to strike and the rain soaked Link's hair and costume, he continued playing the Ocarina of Time. It wasn't long before the rain fell even harder and the wind began to push Link into the hillside.

Satisfied with having summoned a powerful storm, Link stopped playing and struggled against the wind to put the Ocarina of Time back in his item back. He then took his right hand and held his Goron mask down against the top of his head to keep the hurricane-force winds from blowing it away. He then carefully looked all around him and fortunately found the fire being quickly doused by the storm.

"Waaaa0hoooo!" Link yelled, throwing his left fist into the air in celebration.

"Link, I think we'd better get inside," Navi yelled over the howling of the storm, the torrential downpour, and the claps of thunder. She was desperately clinging to his shoulder as hard as she could against the force of the wind.

"You're right," Link yelled in response. "The fire's going out, so let's go."

Just as Link ducked down low to make the strenuous trip to the nearest house, the sounds of the Kokiri cheering erupted over the noise of the fierce storm. Obviously, they too had seen the storm putting out the huge fire in their village. So, fueled by that little bit of motivation, Link burst out from the meager shelter of the hilltop and ran for it, struggling to stay on his feet.

Soon, he found Saria standing at the front door of Kalo's house, smiling at him and waving him over. "Link, quickly! Get in here!" she called to him over the storm.

Link hunkered down and pushed sideways against the wind as he slowly made his way toward Kalo's house. And soon, after summoning a hurricane and then struggling against it, he stumbled inside and nearly fell to the floor.

As he stood there and tried to catch his breath, Saria threw her arms around his shoulders and embraced him tightly. "Oh Link... you did it! You saved our village," she said as she squeezed him affectionately. Then, she gasped, "I'm so sorry, Link. I'm so sorry I doubted you."

Link gently wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her embrace. "It's okay, Saria... it's okay," he softly replied. "At least the village is safe now."

"I just... can't believe someone attacked our village," said one of the Kokiri boys taking shelter in Kalo's house.

"And ruined our festival," a Kokiri girl added.

Saria, however, only clutched Link even tighter. She was simply grateful to still have her home, grateful that everyone was okay, and grateful that her beloved best friend saved them all. However, as grateful as she was, one think beckoned her. "But... why would some old witch be after our Kokiri's Emerald?" she wondered.

"I don't know, Saria," Link replied. But, I know one thing is for sure... Twinrova is back."

And Link and Saria stood there in each other's arms, hugging each other tightly as the storm raged on outside. Neither of them wanted to think about what had happened, nor did they want to think about what possibly lied ahead. All they could think about was the fact that they still had their homes, and each other.

_end of chapter 11  
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Wonderful festival, wasn't it? At least... until Twinrova crashed the party. So all those dreams that Link had served as some foreshadowing, didn't they? On top of that, I actually gave the minor character Kalo a significant role in this chapter, with all of his training from Link leading up to this moment. Yet, despite the action in the most of the story, I did include plenty of Link/Saria squishiness to go around.

All of this added together to form the longest chapter in my story thus far. It is no wonder it took me so long to write it along with the computer and work-related issues. I should be picking up the pace on the next few chapters again, barring any additional work-related issues. And with this chapter having been written, I know exactly what direction I want to take this story... all the way to its conclusion. I won't tell you how long this story will be. You'll just have to see as I release future chapters. All reviews are welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	13. Chapter 12: Zora's Distress

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 12

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe.I really apologize for taking so long to get this chapter posted. It seems my job is taking up more and more of my time, as well as other non-work related issues. So with Koume attacking Kokiri Forest and leaving it in utter shambles, where does this leave our Hero of Time and his beautiful Forest Sage? Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 12: Zora's Distress

_The next day..._

The storm that Link had summoned to fight the huge fire in Kokiri Forest passed through fairly quickly. After a little over an hour of fierce winds, torrential downpours, and deadly lightning, everyone emerged from where they had sought shelter to survey the damage. With a storm like that, there was certain to be a massive mess to clean up.

When the sun peeked through the clouds, all of Kokiri Forest became quite a bit brighter than usual. And when everyone looked around, they found out why. Nearly every tree in and around the village had been burned to their branches, leaving the village much more wide open to rain and sunlight. Even many of the shrubs weren't spared as the fire had left only their skeletal-like remains.

So with plenty of time left before sundown, and their festival completely ruined, everyone made their way to the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow to begin their cleanup. When they got there, they found the meadow in complete and utter shambles. The storm had blown down every single stand, torch, banner, and other pieces of décor and then scattered them all over the meadow. Even the stage wasn't spared as the curtains, supports, and even a few planks from the floor were strewn about the meadow.

The Kokiri lamented at such a horrible sight. Everything they had worked so hard to set up for the festival had turned into scattered piles of rubbish with one powerful storm. But when they thought about it, at least it was only a massive mess that had to be cleaned up. When the fact that they could've lost their homes, or worse... each other, to the fire crossed their minds, they counted their blessings and praised the goddesses. So for the remainder of the afternoon, everyone worked hard to clean up the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow and returned it to its original pristine order.

The next morning, everyone had gotten out of bed early, even Link, and began cleaning up all of the burnt and storm blown sticks, branches, and other debris strewn about the village itself. Unlike with the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow, everyone had a much easier time cleaning up the village. Outside of all the debris blown from the burnt trees, their regular chores took care of much of the fire and storm damage.

Once most of the chores were done, most everyone retreated to their houses. Even Link decided to retreat back to his own house. After working so hard after such a life-changing event, Link more than needed the rest. So Link lied down on his bed and tried to relax. But, as much as he tried, his mind ended up drifting toward yesterday, toward the fire in the village, and toward the very vile being responsible.

As his thoughts dwelled on Twinrova, a knock sounded on his doorframe. "Link? Are you in there?" Saria's voice sounded through his door curtain.

"Yeah, I'm here," Link replied.

"May I come in?" Saria asked.

"Of course you may," Link replied as he sat up in his bed and let his legs hang over the side of the bed and too the ground. "Come on in."

Upon that invitation, Saria moved Link's door curtain aside and walked right in. In addition to her usual Kokiri attire, she once again wore the locket Link had given her proudly around her neck. Every time Saria wore that beautiful locket, it warmed his heart and brought a smile to his face. "What's on your mind, Saria?" he asked.

"Quite a bit, actually," Saria replied while she grabbed a chair from beside Link's table. Then, she set it right in front of him with the chair back facing him, and sat backwards on it to face him. "Probably the same thing you're thinking about," she added.

"You mean that old witch who set our village on fire and demanded Kokiri's Emerald?" said Link.

"Uh-huh," Saria replied. "Who was that old witch and why was she after Kokiri's Emerald?"

"That was Koume," Link replied. "She's an old Gerudo sorceress. She and her twin sister Kotake are known as Twinrova."

Saria gasped, "You mean the very same Twinrova from those stories of your first adventure you used to tell me about?"

"Yes... the very same Twinrova... those same evil witches who cursed the Spirit Temple and kidnapped and brainwashed Nabooru," Link replied.

"I see," said Saria. "But... you killed them. You told me all about it. You turned their fire and ice attacks against each other. You defeated them, lifted their curse, and freed Nabooru. They're supposed to be dead. So how come they're still around?"

"I **did** kill them, but that was seven years in the future. So that means they're still around today, and very much alive," said Link.

"I see," Saria somberly replied. "But... I...still can't believe she attacked our village."

"Me neither," said Link. "Neither I nor anyone else in Hyrule has ever heard a single peep from them since Ganondorf was sealed away. So who only now do they attack?"

"The question is why us? Why was she after **our** Kokiri's Emerald?" Saria wondered.

"Well... think about it," Link replied. "Twinrova is Ganondorf's loyal minion. Ganondorf was sealed away in the Sacred Realm. Do you remember the stories that the Great Deku Sprout and I shared with you about the Sacred Realm?"

"Yes," Saria replied as she thought back to all those stories. Then it hit her, and she gasped, "Oh no..."

"Yes. They need the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time in order to open the way to the Sacred Realm," Link explained.

"You mean they want to free Ganondorf from his prison in the Sacred Realm?" Saria concluded.

"It seems like it," Link replied. Then, he turned to face Saria, "But look at it this way: she didn't get Kokiri's Emerald. And I have the Ocarina of Time. So I don't think Twinrova's gonna free Ganondorf anytime soon."

"Oh yeah, that's a good thing," said Saria. "I just hope she doesn't come back and attack us again."

"Me too, Saria... me too," said Link.

Then, Saria smiled warmly at Link. "You know, Link, you did save the village," she said. "You fought bravely and chased that ugly old witch away. You brought us a lot of rain to put out the fire. You're a hero, Link. You're **our** hero, and..."

Saria then stood up from her chair and walked over to Link. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "...You'll always be **my** hero," she said as she and Link embraced.

"Yeah... I just... don't know what I would've done if we had lost our homes... or any of us... or you. I just can't imagine it," said Link as he tightened their embrace. "I'm just glad we **have** our homes and each other, and I'll make sure we never lose them."

Suddenly, a knock sounded at Link's doorframe. When it did, Link and Saria quickly let go of each other. "Hey Link, come outside," Fado's voice called from the other side of his door curtain. "A strange-looking creature just wandered into the village."

"Oh no," Link said as he ran to his wardrobe and quickly grabbed his sword and shield. "I hope it's not evil."

He then bolted out his door, with Saria following close behind, and slid down his ladder. He then ran toward the creature near the entrance to the village. He gasped loudly as he found the creature to be none other than a very familiar silverish-blue Zora girl wearing a light blue dress. "Ruto!" he called out.

Ruto turned to Link at the sound of his voice and took off running toward him as fast she could, despite wearing a nearly ankle-length skirt. "Oh my goddesses, Link!" she hollered.

Link dropped his sword and shield as he too started jogging toward the running Zora princess. "Ruto, what're you doing here all by yourself?" he asked before Ruto threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Oh Link, I'm so glad I found you," said Ruto as she tightly hugged Link. "Somehow... I knew I could find you here."

Link wrapped his arms around the young Zora princess and returned her embrace. But when Ruto tightened her hold on Link even more, something within him began to feel a little uncomfortable, especially with Saria right there watching.

'Who is this strange girl? And who does she think she is, coming over here and hugging on Link like that?' Saria inwardly wondered, crossing her arms in utter disgust. But, despite her utter disgust toward this other girl hugging Link seemingly out of affection, something about that girl hit Saria like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, she sensed something very peculiar about her, and it got her wondering. But when her eyes laid upon the girl's face, her attitude toward this girl hugging Link completely and suddenly changed. 'Is she... crying? But... why?' Saria thought to herself.

Link too felt something wrong. Sure, Ruto was hugging him like good friends do, but she seemed to be hugging him for the same reason that she did the last time they saw each other: out of fear. This feeling only heightened when he felt Ruto begin to shudder. "Ruto... what's wrong?" he asked.

Right when he asked, Ruto loosened her hold on him and looked right into his eyes, showing him the tears cascading from hers. "It's terrible, Link. Zora's Domain... has been attacked," Ruto whimpered.

Link and Saria both gasped. "Oh no... your home was attacked too?" said the exasperated Link. "What happened? Is everybody okay?"

"I... don't know. Yesterday, all of a sudden, they attacked us," said Ruto. "This ugly woman flying on a broomstick came and attacked us with ice. She had a big ugly nose and white hair that was covered in ice..."

"Kotake..." Link muttered under his breath.

"... She froze Zora's Domain," Ruto whimpered. "She turned all the water into ice. She froze the waterfall. She even covered the walls in ice. Then, she demanded that we hand over Zora's Sapphire. So Father told me to take Zora's Sapphire and run far away. So I hid, snuck out, and came looking for you. Why, Link? Why is everyone after Mother's heirloom?"

Ruto threw her arms around Link again and broke down crying. Link wrapped his arms tightly around her and embraced her tenderly. 'Kotake attacked Zora's Domain yesterday? Like... the same day that Koume attacked us?' Link thought to himself as he comforted Ruto.

Upon hearing the strange girl's story, Saria fell to her knees. "Oh my goddesses..." she gasped, barely above a whisper. "This girl... her home was attacked too? They were after her Spiritual Stone too? The poor girl... I know exactly how she feels."

"What are we gonna do, Link?" Ruto whimpered, tightening her hold on Link. "I'm afraid for everyone back home. I hope that ugly witch didn't hurt them."

Link broke their embrace, held her by the shoulders at arms distance, and looked right in her tear-filled eyes. "Ruto... I'll go with you," he declared. "We'll do what we can to help everyone and make sure they're all okay. I just can't stay here and watch a friend's home suffer like mine did."

Upon hearing Link's declaration, Saria leaped to her feet and ran up to him, "Wait, you're going?"

"Yes, I have to. Her people are suffering," said Link.

Saria took another glance at the strange-looking girl and thought to herself, 'Her people, huh? Something about this girl seems very unusual. It's like I feel something about her... something strangely... familiar.'

"Who's this girl?" Ruto asked upon seeing Saria walking up to Link.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce you," said Link. "Ruto, this is Saria. She's my best friend in the whole world. Saria, this is Ruto, Princess of the Zoras."

"So this is the Princess Ruto you've told me about, huh?" said Saria, smiling as she politely curtsied. "It's wonderful to finally meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Saria," said Ruto. However, Saria wasn't the only one who felt something peculiar yet familiar. Ruto too felt the same thing about Saria. "You... you're the Forest Sage, aren't you?" said Ruto.

Saria gasped at Ruto's words. 'H-how does she know?' she wondered. 'I mean... only Link and the Great Deku Sprout know that I'm the Forest Sage, unless...'

"Yes," Saria finally replied. "I am, or rather **will** be the Forest Sage. And... you must a sage too, right? How else could you know that I'm one too? Only Link and our guardian know who I am."

"Yes. I'm the Water Sage," said Ruto. "I'm not sure, but it seems like we can sense each other."

"Well, it's wonderful to finally meet one of the other sages," said Saria as she politely curtsied. Then, she turned back to Link, "Link, do you really have to go?"

"Yes," Link replied. "Her people are in trouble. She came all the way here to ask me for help. Besides, we don't want her to lose her home like we almost lost ours, right?"

Defeated, Saria's eyes averted downward. "Yeah, you're right," she replied.

"I'll come home as soon as I can, okay?" said Link, smiling. "I promise."

"Okay, Link," Saria acknowledged, with a weak smile forming on her face. "Be careful out there, and come back to me, okay?"

Link only smiled warmly in response. Then, he turned to Ruto. "Wait for me at the bridge, okay? I need to grab a few things," said Link.

"Okay, Link," Ruto replied. When Link turned and ran to pick up his sword and shield, Ruto turned to Saria, "It was nice meeting you, Saria. I hope we can see each other again under better circumstances."

"I'm happy to have met you too," said Saria. "You're the first friend of Link's from outside the forest that I've met. But... we Kokiri can't leave the forest. So you're welcome to come visit us anytime."

"Thanks, Saria, Forest Sage... I'll do that," Ruto said with a smile. Then, she turned and promptly left Kokiri Forest and waited at the rope bridge for Link.

Moments later, Link met up with Ruto, carrying his sword and shield on his back, his item bag on his right hip, and his fairy ocarina in its protective bag on his left hip. "Let's go, Ruto. We don't have a moment to lose," said Link as he continued on his way.

"Right," Ruto replied as she followed Link down the path that led out of the forest and to Hyrule Field.

When they reached the vast Hyrule Field, Link pulled out his ocarina.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Ruto protested, with her hands at her hips. "This is no time to be playing songs."

"I'm calling for my friend who can get us to Zora's Domain quickly," Link replied before he placed the mouthpiece of the sweet potato-shaped instrument to his lips. Then, he played the pastoral _"Epona's Song"_ to summon the young filly.

"That's a pretty song to be calling your friend with," said Ruto.

After about 5 minutes of waiting, Ruto spotted the chestnut with a white-mane appearing over the horizon and speeding toward them. "Your horse is your friend who can get us there fast, huh?" said Ruto.

"You betcha," Link replied with a smirk. "Epona and I have been through so much together on my last adventure. Besides, Epona can get us to Zora's Domain much faster than it'd take for us to walk."

"You got a point there," said Ruto.

Soon, Epona approached the duo and Link quickly mounted up. Once seated, he held his hand out to Ruto, "Come on up, Ruto."

Ruto happily took Link's hand. And with his help, Ruto mounted up and sat closely behind Link. "Wow, I've never ridden on a horse before," said Ruto.

"Believe me, you'll love it," said Link. "Now hold on tight. Epona's a very fast horse."

Ruto gladly obeyed and wrapped her pale silverish-blue arms around Link's waist. However, she found herself unconsciously wrapping her arms around him more for affection than for hanging on. But any feelings of affection for Link quickly subsided when Link gave a quick kick to Epona's side with a loud "Hyah". And Epona took off running, carrying the two youths toward Zora's Domain.

Minutes later, after getting used to Epona's speed, she laid her cheek on Link's upper back and thought about the forest girl she had just met, 'That girl, Saria... she's the Forest Sage just like I'm the Water Sage. But... I sense a very strong connection between them, Saria and Link. It's like they really are the very best of friends... just like Link said. I can understand that since Link grew up there. I've never had a best friend before. I mean, my people like me because I'm the princess, but there isn't one who I can truly call my friend. But... somehow, I **am **curious...'

"Hey Link?" said Ruto.

"Yes, Ruto?" Link replied.

"I'm so glad to have finally met one of your friends. You and Saria seem to be very good friends. I mean, you did say you were friends, but it's obvious just by looking at you two," said Ruto.

"Yeah. Saria's my best friend," Link replied. "She was also my first real friend too. She didn't care about me being different than the others. In fact, she liked that about me. We've always played together since I was little. And she's always been there for me."

"She does seem like a very nice girl, and...," said Ruto, pausing for a moment as she reflected back on Saria herself, "... she's very pretty too."

After a brief moment of silence, Link simply replied, "Yes... she is."

"And she seems to really care a lot about you," Ruto explained. "It's the way she said that she wanted you to come back home... to her. I think... she really likes you."

"Yes, I know," said Link.

"You know, huh? So you like her too, don't you?" said Ruto, giving Link a friendly poke to the chest and smirking mischievously.

"Yeah... I do," Link replied. "Saria means a lot to me. She's always there for me, she's a wonderful friend, and she's fun to be with. And more than that... I really like being with her and seeing her smiling face. And every time I'm with her, I just want to be with her more and more."

'So there's no chance of Link and I ever getting married,' Ruto somberly thought to herself. 'I know I had given up on marrying him when he left for over two years, but... a part of me still had hope.'

"But yeah, I love Saria," Link continued. "And the strange thing is... I think I always have. I just didn't realize it until I grew older."

"Yeah, I see," Ruto somberly said. "But, what about us? What about the friendship you and I have?"

"Well, you're a wonderful friend to have. You mean just as much to me as all my other friends" Link replied. "In fact, you were the one who introduced me to love."

Ruto's ears perked up at that last sentence, "Oh really?"

"Yeah, really," Link replied before he gave his explanation. "I thought it was weird and repulsive at first. But, as I grew up... as I saw things during my travels, I began to understand what it means to love someone. I think about Saria all the time. And when I do, it makes me feel really warm and happy inside. And it makes me want to see her again, and makes me want to be with her again."

"I see. You really do love her, don't you?" said Ruto before she tightened her hold on Link in a more affectionate manner. "But whatever happens between you and her, we'll always be good friends, right?"

"Of course. You'll always be my friend and mean a lot to me. Just because I love Saria doesn't mean that **our** friendship has to change," Link replied.

"Oh I'm so happy," said Ruto, smiling as she held Link affectionately. In the end, Ruto didn't mind having to take a backseat to Saria. She knew that Link would always be a good friend to her and always look out for her, no matter what. And because of that, she held him in her arms for what little time she could on their trip back to Zora's Domain.

.

_An hour later, Zora's Domain..._

Link, Navi, and Ruto carefully navigated along the twisty river while making sure that no one was still hanging around outside. And after their semi-stealth approach, they arrived at the waterfall entrance to Zora's Domain. When they got there, Ruto couldn't help but think about what she and everyone had gone through the day before. "I hope everyone's okay," she said.

"I hope so too," Link agreed. "But, we'd better be ready for anything once we go inside."

So Link removed his fairy ocarina from its protective case, placed it to his lips, and played _"Zelda's Lullaby"_. With the song as proof of Link's connection to Hyrule's Royal Family, the waterfall parted and revealed the entrance to Zora's Domain. When it did, Link drew his sword with his left and grabbed his shield in his right. "Stay close, Ruto," Link ordered.

"Okay, Link," Ruto replied.

And so they both leaped from the rocky platform and into the cliffside passageway. Right after they entered, the waterfall closed behind them and sealed inside. However, despite having no way out, Link and Ruto just pressed on like they didn't care. But soon, as they ventured through the passage, they began to feel a chilling bite in the air and Ruto quickly started to shiver.

"I-It's a-awfully c-c-c-cold in h-h-here," she chattered.

"I agree," said Navi. Then, she thought to herself, 'This arctic blast... it is so much like the one from our first adventure when Zora's Domain was in trouble. Goddesses, I hope everyone's okay.'

"Zora's don't like the cold, do they?" said Link.

"N-No," Ruto replied, still shivering. "I don't know about a-any other Zoras that may be out there, but we hate the cold. That's why we don't go out much during the winter.

Right as Ruto had finished her sentence, they arrived at the underground water village of Zora's Domain. All three gasped as it looked much different than they were use to seeing. The massive lake that dominated much of the village had frozen solid. Many of the walls had either layers of frost and snow or sheets of ice covering them. Even the waterfall had frozen solid, leaving long sheets of ice as if it were frozen instantly.

Sure, they had seen this before. Link and Navi had seen this during their first adventure, albeit seven years in the future. But Ruto, however, witnessed the freezing of her home first hand before she escaped. And now that she has returned and witnessed the results, all she could do was stand there with her eyes wide open and mouth hanging open in awe. "Oh... my... goddesses... my village," she gasped.

"Kotake did all this?" Link commented, almost equally awestruck by the sight before him.

"Well, where is everyone?" Navi wondered.

If Zora's Domain being frozen over wasn't awe-inspiring enough, the fact that there wasn't a soul to be found frightened Ruto even more. "Oh no, I hope Father and everyone are okay," said Ruto before she started to take off to search for them.

But just as she had taken the first few steps, Link stopped her. "Ruto, wait!"

Ruto promptly stopped and turned to Link.

"Zora's Sapphire, let me see it... please?" requested Link.

Without a word, Ruto reluctantly removed Zora's Sapphire from her dress top and handed it to Link.

"I'll watch over it for you, okay?" said Link. "Be careful, Ruto. They may come back if they find out that you're back."

"Alright, Link. You be careful with that. You know how much that stone means to me," said Ruto before she turned around and ran off to look for the others.

Link and Navi, however, slowly walked about the frozen village. "It's awfully quiet here," said Navi.

Link inwardly agreed. As he walked along the elevated rock face beside the frozen lake, he immediately thought back when Ganondorf had first frozen Zora's Domain. They were strangely similar in the way that they were frozen and subsequently deserted. However, something was different this time, something that was beckoning Link. He just couldn't place it.

"It's eerie, kind of like before," said Navi.

"Tell me about it. It's creeping me out," said Link. "It wasn't even this bad the first time. I... I just can't believe Kotake did all of this in a **day**."

"I can understand why it's bothering you," said Navi.

"It's not just that. It's just... somehow...," said Link before he paused.

"Somehow... what?" Navi inquired.

"I don't know," Link replied. "Something just doesn't feel right. I didn't feel this last time. But now, something's not right."

"Link!" Ruto's voice echoed about the underground village. Link turned to see Ruto emerge from one of the residential passageways, accompanied by a Zora man and woman. "I found a couple of the others, but no one knows where Father is. I'm so worried."

"Ruto, take them and go hide somewhere," suggested Link. "Something here is not right... I can feel it."

"What do you mean?" Ruto wondered.

"Evil doesn't just attack a place they want to rob and go away empty-handed," said Link. "Take as many of the others as you can and..."

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded behind Link, causing everyone to jump. Link turned around to discover that a large chunk of ice had fallen from one of the skylights in the ceiling of the cavernous village. Many large chunks of ice were scattered all over the frozen lake.

Just as they began surveying the debris from the fallen ice chunk, another large chunk smashed into the frozen lake and shattered into hundreds of pieces, followed by another.

"The skylights must be melting the ice," said Ruto.

"Link, look!" Navi barked, pointing to the chunks of ice. "One of them just moved on its own."

Link examined the ice chunks and gasped when he found numerous chunks of ice moving seemingly on their own. "What... is that?"

Then suddenly, all of the chunks of ice began to gather right in the middle of the lake and join together. Quickly, they started piling up to form a towering mound of ice. And not a moment too soon, a pair of icy arms began to grow from the sides while the base of the mound split up to form a pair of legs.

The Zora man and woman quickly ran back to the residential passageway while Link drew his sword and drew his shield. And just as quickly, the icy monster finally took form and let out a resonating roar. "I knew something didn't feel right," Link commented.

As the ice monster gained its bearings, it spotted a very awestruck Ruto standing on the high rock face. "Aaahhhh... Princess," the monster groaned in a deep voice.

"Oh no... Ruto, run!" Link yelled.

"This thing... was waiting for Ruto?" Navi gasped.

Ruto quickly turned around and took off running for one of the other corridors. When she did, the ice monster started walking and stretched its large arm out to reach for her.

Link quickly sheathed his sword and reached into his item bag. After a quick second of fumbling, he fished out his boomerang. And just as the ice monster's outreached hand inched closer to the fleeing Ruto, Link hurled his boomerang at it and struck it in the back of its wrist.

"Hey overgrown ice sculpture!" Link taunted as he caught his returning boomerang. "I'm your opponent."

The monster turned to face the boy who struck its hand. "Princess's... bodyguard... wants to fight me," the monster grunted.

Link put his boomerang away and drew his sword to challenge the monstrosity.

"Link, watch out!" Navi yelled.

Right as she did, Link turned around and leaped sideways just in time as an icy blast just barely missed him from behind. An icy freezard had formed and silently snuck up behind him to deliver its icy attack. And the smaller-sized ice monster wasn't alone as three more had formed in different parts of the frozen lake.

"You're going to have to defeat those freezards before you face that big monster," suggested Navi. "They'll just close in on you and freeze you if you turn your attention away from them."

"And I have just the thing to smash these guys," said Link. He sheathed his sword and hung his shield. Then, he extracted his big Megaton Hammer and gripped it tightly in both hands. "Courtesy of Darunia, of course," he added.

"I know, Link. I was there when he gave it to you," Navi commented as she rolled her eyes at Link stating the obvious. "Just get the freezards and don't get hit by that overgrown ice statue."

"Right," Link replied. He then gripped the massive hammer tightly and charged at a freezard. The menacing ice monolith saw Link charging it head on and drew in a deep breath of ice. But just as it began to exhale its chilling breath, Link leaped into the air, effectively dodging the icy attack. And as he came down, Link swung the cumbersome hammer downward, smashing the freezard into thousands of harmless shards with no effort at all.

"Nice job, Link," Navi praised. "Now just three to go."

But just as Link recovered from swinging that big heavy hammer, the large ice monster reached for Link with its massive hand. Too late to jump out of the way, Link gripped the Megaton Hammer tightly and swung at the monster's hand with all his might. The sheer power of the unwieldy hammer shattered the monster's hand, causing it to jump back and writhe in pain.

"This thing is really heavy," Link commented as he began to pant like a dog from exerting so much energy all at once.

"Just use your sword on the freezards," suggested Navi. "Save your hammer for the big guy."

"Right," Link replied. So he hefted the Megaton Hammer and slipped it back into his item bag. Once free of its encumbrance, he drew his sword and looked about for the nearest freezard. Once spotting one sliding down the icy lake toward him, he pushed off and skated down the ice like a veteran Dutch speed skater.

Just before the freezard could unleash its icy breath, Link swung his sword and connected with it, shattering pieces of its body. When Link's skating motion stopped as a result, he swung away, quickly chipping away at the freezard before utterly destroying it.

"I need my fire arrows. My sword just takes too long," Link commented while sheathing his sword. He then extracted his bow and arrow quiver from his item sack. When he hooked his quiver onto his belt, his diminishing supply of arrows caught his eye. 'I hope this'll be enough,' he thought and hoped to himself.

So he placed a small, red, ruby-like charm around his left wrist, He then took an arrow, knocked it, drew, and aimed at the freezard that was still on the ledge. The arrowhead ignited into a ball of fire as Link charged it. He then released the fiery arrow, sending it flying at the freezard.

The fire arrow scored a direct hit and quickly melted the freezard into little more than a puddle of water.

"Nice shot, Link!" Navi praised. "Now get that last freezard before the big guy gets you."

Link nodded in reply and knocked another arrow. He drew the bow and charged the arrow with the power of fire. He spotted the last freezard approaching him from behind the writhing ice giant and quickly aimed at it. He released the fiery arrow and melted the last annoyance just as the big ice monster started walking toward him again.

"Link, your fire arrows should work on him too," said Navi.

Link took off running and sliding down the icy lake to put some distance between him and the rather slow-moving ice monster. But suddenly, the monster hurled a volley of icicles at him.

"Watch out!" Navi yelled.

Link ducked just in time as the icicles flew overhead. Link turned around and drew another arrow. He charged it with fire, aimed at the ice monster, and fired. The arrow struck the monster in the chest, melting away a large part of its chest and striking more pain into it.

"That's it. Keep it up, Link," said Navi.

"But I don't have but maybe eight arrows left," said Link. "It'll take most of them, maybe all of them, to bring him down... unless..."

"Unless... what?" Navi wondered.

Link quickly drew another arrow, charged it with fire, and fired at the monster again. He struck the monster's face, melting most of it away and causing it to stagger. He then put his bow and quiver away and took off running at the stricken monster.

"Wait, Link! What are you doing?" Navi protested as she chased after Link.

Link didn't respond, but only kept running despite the slippery ice. As he approached the writhing monster, he raised his left hand. "Din's... Fire!" he yelled.

Right as Link reached the monster's feet, a large ball of fire radiated from him, melting the ice all around him. The monster screamed in agony as the flames quickly melted away its entire body from the feet all the way up. With that one swift ball of fire, the monster was utterly vanquished, leaving Link treading water in the hole he had melted in the ice.

"Nice strategy, Link, saving your arrows and using Din's Fire to defeat that monster," Navi praised.

"Yeah," Link acknowledged as he pulled himself out of the water. "It seems like I opened a whole in the ice too. It may be thick enough to support that monster, but at least the passage to Lake Hylia's open again."

Right as Link finished that sentence, a loud maniacal cackle filled the cavernous village. Link and Navi, startled by the sudden noise, glanced all about Zora's Domain. Then, Link looked up toward the skylights and spotted the old Gerudo witch hovering high above the frozen lake.

Like her sister, Kotake wore a black robe with white markings. But unlike Koume, Kotake wore a silver circlet with a blue jewel hanging from it, and had white hair seemingly engulfed in a chilling white mist.

"So, a little fairy boy thinks he can save the Zoras by defeating my ice monster, huh?" Kotake taunted as she drew her wand. "Well then, with my frost, I'll freeze you to your soul and capture that Zora princess you're protecting and the Spiritual Stone she's carrying. Ha!"

And quickly, Kotake raised her wand and drew a large bluish-white rune in the air, charging her powers.

"Link, she's about to fire, and you don't have your bow ready," said Navi.

Then, Kotake aimed at Link and fired an intense beam of icy mist at him. Link quickly jumped backwards out of the way and took off running. The beam struck right where he once stood, adding another layer of ice to the frozen lake and utterly covering the hole Link had opened up.

Link leaped up onto the ledge and turned to face the Gerudo witch. He then reached into his item bag to grab his bow and quiver. But as he fumbled for them, Kotake formed another rune to charge her icy attack.

"Not enough time. Get ready to dodge her," Navi warned.

Link quickly grabbed his quiver and hooked it onto his belt. Then, he jumped sideways as Kotake fired her icy beam at him. Link took off running, making sure Kotake can't hit him.

When Kotake's attack completely missed, Link grabbed his bow and turned to Navi. "Do you remember how we got Koume yesterday?" he asked.

"Yes, of course, dear," Navi proudly replied.

"Well, we're gonna do the same think to Kotake," said Link as he grabbed a couple of arrows in one hand and knocked one of them. He drew the bow and charged the arrow with fire. Then, just as Kotake formed another rune, Link launched the fiery arrow at her.

"Eek! Fire!" Kotake shrieked. She broke off her attack and quickly bolted to the side.

"Navi, now!" Link barked as he quickly knocked the second arrow and drew the bowstring.

And just like yesterday, Navi jumped onto the shaft of the arrow while Link charged it with fire. And right when Kotake dodged the first arrow, Link released the second. Navi used her strong wings to quickly steer the fiery arrow at Kotake. With the arrow right on target, Navi leaped away right before it struck Kotake in the chest.

The arrow set Kotake ablaze, vaporizing the mist around her icy hair and causing her to shriek in pain. As the flames consumed her energy, Kotake fell all the way down to the lake.

Link seized the opportunity by putting his bow away and drawing his sword. He took off running at Kotake just as she hit the frozen lake and the flames extinguished. He quickly reached the stunned witch despite the slippery ice and gave her a good and powerful slash with his sword. With such force propelling her, Kotake slid down the ice and into the wall of the subterranean village.

"Yes! **That** got her," Navi whooped as she witnessed it all.

Link grabbed his shield and cautiously approached the stricken Gerudo witch. For all he knew, Kotake was probably playing possum to lure him in so she could blast him with ice. So he kept his distance from her, with his sword and shield at the ready.

"Ugh, that didn't feel so good," Kotake grunted as she slowly pushed herself up. "That fairy boy is gonna pay for that cheap shot."

But right when she pushed herself up and airborne on her broomstick, a burdening feeling overcame her. "No... powers... too weak Sister's gonna be so mad," she grunted to herself. Then, she glanced at the boy and his fairy. "Alright boy, you win this fight. But next time, I won't fall so easily. I swear it."

And with that, Kotake took off upward and flew out of Zora's Domain through the open skylights.

"Well, that takes care of the other half of Twinrova... for now," said Navi.

"Yeah. At least Zora's Domain is safe now," said Link as he sheathed this sword and put his shield up. "Come on. Let's help Ruto find the other Zoras."

"Hey Link, up here!" Ruto's voice called out to him from above. Link glanced up and found Ruto waving to him from the top of the frozen waterfall.

"Come with me. I found Father and everyone else hiding in Zora's Fountain by Lord Jabu-Jabu's Altar," she said before she turned around and took off running.

Navi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the goddesses everyone's okay."

"Yeah," Link agreed. "I'd better give Zora's Sapphire back to Ruto and get going back home. Saria and the others are waiting for us."

So Link jumped up onto the ledge and made his way around the village toward the path to the King Zora's Chamber. Once there, Link went into the passageway behind King Zora's throne that eventually led to Zora's Fountain and the Altar of Lord Jabu-Jabu. There, Link found Ruto and the fat yet festive King Zora XVI, along with a lot of the other Zoras, awaiting his arrival.

"Link, my boy, you did it," King Zora XVI praised. "You defeated that evil witch and saved us all from her relentless attacks. You certainly live up to your reputation."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Link said politely as he bowed.

"And you even watched over my dear, sweet Princess Ruto and kept her and our Zora's Sapphire save from evil," King Zora XVI continued. "How about I present to you my lovely little Princess Ruto's hand in marriage when you two grow up?"

"Ugh!" Link grunted inaudibly, cringing unnoticeably at the thought. Although he was used to Ruto flirting with him in the past and calling him her future husband, he still found the idea of marrying Ruto a little unsettling. Besides, he couldn't marry her... they were friends.

"Father!" Ruto scolded. "Link already has a girl whom he loves and who thinks so much about him. So stop trying to betroth me."

'Wow... is she the same Ruto who wanted to marry me a couple years ago?' Link wondered to himself. 'I guess she really does understand the feelings that Saria and I share better than even Saria and I do."

"Aww, that's too bad. And you two would've been perfect for each other," King Zora XVI said to both Link and Ruto.

'Ha! I doubt it,' Navi thought to herself, holding back a chuckle.

"She must be a very lucky young lady to have someone as wonderful and as brave as you," King Zora XVI said specifically to Link.

'Yes, and I'm lucky to lave a wonderful, caring, and pretty girl like Saria as my best friend...,' Link inwardly agreed, '... who I really like and really care about.'

"Can you at least stay with us and help us clean up after that witch's awful attack on our village?" King Zora XVI asked.

"Gee, I'd love to, Your Majesty, but I can't," Link somberly replied. "I have to go back to my own village in the forest and help everyone there. My village was attacked yesterday too by that witch's twin sister."

"Oh no, your village too?" King Zora XVI gasped. He paused and pondered the disturbing fact that not only his own people, but Link's as well, suffered such calamity. Who knows how many other villages suffered or would suffer the same fate. Then, he turned back to Link. "I understand. We'd really appreciate your help, but your own village needs you more than we do."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Link replied. "I'm so sorry that I can't stay."

"It's okay, young lad," said King Zora XVI. "I wish you and everyone in your village the best. And you're always welcome here in Zora's Domain as an honored guest."

"So come back and see me soon," Ruto added, waving happily to Link.

"Oh, Ruto, that reminds me," said Link, suddenly remembering why he came to see her and the other Zoras. He reached into his item bag and extracted Zora's Sapphire. "Here, this is yours."

He walked up to Ruto and placed the shiny gold and sapphire stone into her hands. Ruto's eyes glistened as they laid upon the beautiful stone. "Thank you, Link, for keeping it safe for me," she said.

"You're welcome," said Link. "Well, I'm off now. Bye, Princess Ruto. Come by Kokiri Forest anytime," said Link before he turned around and made his way out of Zora's Domain.

.

_Over an hour later..._

After leaving Zora's Domain through the same passage that he and Ruto had entered, Link had traversed down the river and into Hyrule Field where Epona awaited him. And after the much faster ride through Hyrule Field without the extra passenger, Link arrived back at the forest passage to Kokiri Forest.

So Link sent Epona off and entered the forest. As Link hiked along the dense and hilly trail, his thoughts immediately fell on Saria, as well as Ruto's and King Zora XVI's words in regards to them. He really did care a lot about her. Every time he thought about her, Link felt warm inside and yearned for her company. He really did love Saria. And he had a wonderful friend in Ruto who not only understood the special bond that he and Saria shared, but also introduced him to the concept of love those ears ago.

As Link approached the rope bridge to Kokiri Forest with those thoughts on his mind, he spotted the very object of those thoughts at the other end of the bridge.

"Link! You're back!" the green-haired girl shrieked. She ran across the mostly sturdy rope bridge and threw herself into Link's waiting arms, wrapping hers tightly around his chest. "I'm so glad you made it back home safely," she continued.

"Yes, Saria. It sure feels good to be home again after today," said Link as he and Saria embraced.

"So how bad was it over at Princess Ruto's village?" Saria asked, not even loosening her hold on Link.

"It was bad. It was completely frozen. All the water and much of the village were covered in ice," Link explained, also not loosening their embrace.

"Oh no... poor Ruto and her people," Saria gasped.

"And worse than that, there was a big ice monster there just waiting for her," Link continued. "So with Navi's help and my fire magic, I put a stop to him and kept him from getting to Ruto. Then, Kotake showed up."

Saria let go of Link as he mentioned the Gerudo witch. "You mean that witch was waiting there for a whole day?" she said.

"It seems like it," Link replied. "But just like with Koume yesterday, Navi helped me to chase her out of Zora's Domain."

"That's what I'm here for, dear," said Navi.

Saria smiled and wrapped her arms around Link's shoulders. "So you saved her village just like you saved ours, huh?" she said. Then, she pulled Link in very close to her and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "You really are a hero, Link," she continued. "You went out of your way to keep her village from falling to the same fate that ours almost did. I really admire that about you."

Link's pointed ears perked up, "Really?"

'So adorable, those two are,' Spryte thought to herself.

Saria leaned in, kissed him on the cheek, and embraced him. "Mmhmm," she replied. "It's one of the many reasons I really like you, and why I'm so happy that you're my best friend in the whole world."

Navi smiled, but covered her mouth with her hands to hold back a few chuckles. However, neither of the two youths noticed it.

"Link!" another high pitched voice called out to him from afar.

Link and Saria quickly let go of each other and turned toward Kokiri Forest to find a yellow fairy speeding toward them. Although Link didn't ever remember meeting this particular fairy, Saria immediately recognized her as being one of the Great Deku Sprout's fairies.

"Ummm, I'm sorry to break up your little reunion, but Link, the Great Deku Sprout is summoning you to see him immediately," said the fairy.

"What for?" Saria wondered. "We still have to clean up the village, and we could use Link's help. The Great Deku Sprout knows we're trying to recover from that witch's attack on us."

"Link, please come with me to see the Great Deku Sprout," the fairy kindly ordered.

So Link looked at Saria, who only nodded to him, and then followed the fairy into Kokiri Forest with Navi in tow.

"Now why would the Great Deku Sprout summon Link all of a sudden, considering what had just happened?" Spryte wondered. "It sounded pretty urgent."

"Yeah, I just hope everything's okay," Saria somberly said. Then, she thought to herself, 'I really do hope everything's okay. I hope the Great Deku Sprout is just wanting to know what Link saw. But somehow... I don't know... I have a bad feeling about this.'

_end of chapter 12  
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_

So now the other half of Twinrova shows up. What will their role in the story be? And how will they affect Link and Saria? This action-packed chapter actually made for a slightly shorter chapter than some of my previous ones. But... what does the Great Deku Sprout want with Link? I'm sure a few of us can guess, and some of us may be right... or wrong. You'll just have to see when I release Chapter 13. I can safely say that Chapter 13 will be **big**. _(literally as in a long chapter or figuratively as in a major point of the story? or both? only I know for certain)__  
_

With work-related issues taking up more of my time, it's really affecting how quickly I've been putting these chapters out. It isn't hurting my muse any, nor is it affecting my perceived quality of my writing, but it is slowing me down. I used to put out 2 chapters a month, maybe 3 if I was lucky. Now I'm only putting out one a month, even shorter chapters like this one.

The way I've done all my chapters was to write them down in a college rule spiral notebook before transferring it to my computer. It's a great method, as it lets me see what I write, reread it, and thus make it that much easier for me to edit it when I transfer it to my computer. However, it takes much longer than just typing it up since I'm writing the same story **twice**. And because of work and other stuff taking more of my time for the last couple of chapters, I've been contemplating whether this will be the last chapter I write on paper. But, I may just try a slightly different method of writing my fanfics and see how it works. This will be a big chapter coming up, and I want to get it done right just like with the last 13 installments. But, I don't want to take to long and lose your interest either. Any and all reviews are welcome.

Just an extra note, since I gave Ruto much more of a role in this chapter: When trying to picture Ruto's dress that she wore both in Chapter 10 and this one, I thought best to picture Lulu's dress from Majora's Mask. The differences, however, are that Ruto's is a light blue dress and has an exposed midriff to take her hip fins into account.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	14. Chapter 13: Testing Their Bonds

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 13

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Last chapter was so awesome, as it was mainly a battle chapter and some good screen time for Ruto. I love writing battles in most types of fanfiction, whether it's game fanfiction or anime fanfiction. But what does the Great Deku Sprout want with Link? Find out as you read. Enjoy.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 13: Testing Their Bonds

_The Great Deku Sprout's Meadow..._

Having been summoned by the Great Deku Sprout upon his return to Kokiri Forest, Link followed the fairy through the village itself. Link passed by a number of Kokiri on his way there, with some of them greeting him. Sure he waved to some of those Kokiri, but Link regretted not having the time to properly greet and socialize with them as he usually did when he came home from outside the forest. The Great Deku Sprout had summoned Link to see him, and his fairy made it sound quite urgent. As much as he lamented not greeting the others, he had to find out why he was summoned.

So Link followed the yellow fairy through the passage leading to the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. Surprisingly, he found the normally vicious Deku Babas to be rather silent and tranquil. At least he didn't have to cut them down to see the Great Deku Sprout this time like he usually had to. And when he emerged from the passageway, the yellow fairy took off and rejoined the other fairies hovering around the Great Deku Sprout.

"Link, come hither," the Great Deku Sprout summoned.

Link slowly walked up to the Great Deku Sprout, with Navi in tow. Both were feeling quite apprehensive as they approached the forest's patron.

"Link, I am sorry I had to summon thee upon thy return to Kokiri Forest," the Great Deku Sprout immediately apologized. "Thou hast left to help the Zoras, hast thou not?"

"Yes," Link replied. "My friend's village was in trouble just like ours was yesterday. I just couldn't stand by and let her people suffer."

"Yes, I know. Thou art very heroic and think of others before thyself," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Even when peace is upon Hyrule, thou art heroic. That, my dear boy, is the true meaning of heroism. Thou hast saved Saria from a feral Wolfos attack in the Lost Woods, thou hast defeated a band of thieves and returned that which they hath stolen, and now thou hast saved two villages from meeting an ill fate."

"Yeah, even during peace, with Ganondorf gone, there's always something going on," Link commented.

"Yet, thou hast always done the right thing no matter what," the Great Deku Sprout continued. "One's chivalry and heroism are measured in all hours of life and not just the times of great struggle. And whether conquering evil or helping thy friends with the simplest of tasks, such selfless acts are what make a true hero."

"I understand," said Link.

"He really is a hero," said Navi. "When we arrived at Zora's Domain, it was completely frozen over. There was an ice monster there waiting for Princess Ruto to return. But Link defeated such a big monster almost seemingly with ease."

"Humph, speak for yourself," Link objected. "He wasn't as easy as I made him look. His minions and the fact that he could throw ice at me made it a tough fight. Most of my battles aren't easy, and you know it."

"I know, Link. Jeez, I was only trying to show you off," said Navi, rolling her eyes back.

"I see thy task to help the Zoras was a perilous one. This I have sensed," said the Great Deku Sprout. "But, the question is why the Zoras were in such peril? Who wouldst commit such evil against thy friend and for what purpose?"

"Well... it was Koume's twin sister, Kotake," Link replied.

"The sister of the witch who set our village and our forest on fire," Navi added.

"And like Koume, she was after the Princess Ruto's Spiritual Stone," Link continued.

"I see," said the Great Deku Sprout. And then, all fell silent as he pondered everything that Link just explained. He thought about the attack on Kokiri Forest, and how it had caught even him by surprise. More so, he reflected on his thoughts since Koume set the forest ablaze and thus ruined the annual summer festival. "Tis what I feared, 'Tis what I have sensed," he said. "And I see thou hast sensed it too, Link. Thou hast sensed it in thy recent dreams, hast thou not?"

"What do you mean? What is it?" Link anxiously asked.

"Why were we summoned so soon when we returned home?" Navi asked just as anxiously.

"I apologize, Link, but I did not summon thee just to tell thee about thy heroism," said the Great Deku Sprout. "I have sensed this only yesterday when the wicked witch from the desert attacked our beloved forest the home of my children. It hath troubled me since then, and what hath happened today only confirmed my fears. I fear that evil hath once again descended upon all of Hyrule."

Both Link and Navi gasped both visibly and quite audibly at the Great Deku Sprout's revelation.

"Oh my goddesses," Navi gasped, while Link stood completely speechless.

"If that malevolent witch was after Kokiri's Emerald and her sister was after the Zora's Spiritual Stone, then they must seek the Spiritual Stones for the same reason that Ganondorf hath sought them over two years ago: to open the way to the Sacred Realm," the Great Deku Sprout explained.

"Why else would anyone evil be after the Spiritual Stones?" said Navi, remembering what Link and Saria had discussed earlier.

"Yeah, Twinrova is one of Ganondorf's most loyal servants," said Link. "With Ganondorf sealed away in the Sacred Realm, they must be after them so they could free him."

"Yes, it certainly seems so," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Although the Sages of the future hath sealed Ganondorf away in the present, his darker ideas still live on, as doth those who follow them."

"But during my first adventure, he had very few followers, except for a bunch of monsters. And the Gerudos refuse to recognize him as their king since he first attacked Hyrule," said Link.

"Except Twinrova," Navi corrected. "Remember, they were at the Spirit Temple even when you returned there as a child in the present."

"Link, Navi the fairy, I know only a month hath passed since thy return from thy long journey, but thou must protect the Spiritual Stones and prevent Twinrova from releasing Ganondorf from his prison in the Sacred Realm," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Somehow, I knew Twinrova was up to no good the moment they attacked our village," said Link. "They attacked our home, they attacked Ruto's home, and... oh no... Darunia."

"They're probably after the Gorons and their Goron's Ruby too," said Navi.

"I've got to help them," Link said as he quickly turned and began to run.

"Link?" Navi called out to him, taking off after him.

"Link, wait," said the Great Deku Sprout, stopping Link after only a few steps. Link turned around, wondering why the forest's patron stopped him. "Thou must seek out Princess Zelda as well. She must know about the malevolent forces at work and the evil that has descended upon Hyrule. I sense that she will be of great importance on thy quest."

"Right, I'll do that," said Link. He then thought to himself, 'I still have the Ocarina of Time. I wonder what she'll want me to do with it.'

"Link, what about Saria?" Navi asked, reminding him of the one person most important to him and what she must think.

And Link's heart sank into his stomach at the mention of her name. 'Oh no... Saria...,' he thought to himself. With there being peace in Hyrule, and having found Navi after an over two-year long journey, he and Saria were finally together again. Not only that, their special friendship was growing... he loved her. He had finally realized in his heart that he loved her. And now, he was going to have to leave her again... but for how long?

"What's she going to think when she learns that you're leaving the forest again for the goddesses know how long?" Navi asked.

"Yeah... it means I lave to leave Saria behind again," said Link. And with that thought looping in his mind, he fell to his knees. "I don't want to leave her again. We both get sad when we don't get to play together and play our ocarinas and talk about everything. But... I have to go see Darunia and Zelda. I have to find Twinrova and stop them. I... I... don't know."

"I see thou art troubled by having to leave thy best friend again," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Yeah, you can say that again," said Link.

"Believe me, my dear Link, it troubles me to place such a burden upon thee. I know thy friends here mean so much to thee, and I know Saria means even more," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"She's my best friend in the whole world. She's been there for me for so long. Of course she means a lot to me," said Link, sadly hanging his head. "I don't want to leave her again. I wish I didn't have to leave again, that I could just stay here and not have to leave on such long journeys all the time and not see my best friend for ... I don't know how long. But... I have to leave. I have to make sure Darunia and the Gorons are okay. I can't let Twinrova release Ganondorf."

"I understand thou art confused. Thou care greatly for thy friends and wish to be with them, and then again cannot. But thou truly art a boy of good heart," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Thou think of the feelings of others, be they stranger or friend, before thy own. Even with this burden placed on thy shoulders, thou wander what Saria would think of thy quest."

"Just tell her that you have to leave again," suggested Navi. "She knows what happened here and at Zora's Domain. So tell her that you have to stop Twinrova and keep them from releasing Ganondorf."

"That's easy for you to say," Link argued. "You weren't here when I had to tell Saria that I was leaving to look for you. You didn't see her cry when I left."

"No, but I was here," said the Great Deku Sprout. "I know how Saria felt about thy leaving the forest and I heard her crying when thou left. Without a doubt, Saria wilt feel quite sad to see her best friend leave again and not know when he wilt return. But, thou shalt have faith in Saria, for she hath faith in thee."

All of Link's thoughts, mixed together with his, Navi's, and the Great Deku Sprouts words, created a jumbled mess in his mind. He couldn't make sense of what he was feeling nor the conflict raging on within. All he could do was mutter whatever stood out. "It... makes me very sad to leave Saria... and... seeing her cry because of it makes me even sadder."

"Saria cries when thou leave on thy quest because thou art her best friend," said the Great Deku Sprout. "It is how she expresses her sadness over seeing thee leave and not knowing when thou wilt return. Thou express thy sadness over having to leave her too, even if thy way of expressing is different than hers, dost thou not?"

"Yeah... I guess you're right," Link somberly replied, hanging his head in utter defeat. With that, he was left with nothing else to say. Although the storm of thoughts in his mind had calmed, only his confused feelings remained. He feared for the safety of both his friends and the citizens of Hyrule. But as determined as he was to stop the evil that threatened Hyrule, he lamented having to leave his best friend again to do it.

However, Link had to be honest with himself. What made leaving Saria so troubling for him was not just the fact that he was leaving his best friend again. He was also leaving behind the girl he loved. It was the fact that their special bond was just beginning to grow, the fact that they were just beginning to explore just how much closer of friends they could be, that made having to leave her behind so difficult and so painful.

"Like Navi said to thee, just tell Saria about thy adventure like thou hast done when thou left on thy search for Navi," suggested the Great Deku Sprout. "She understands that thou hast had such burdens placed upon thee. She wilt be sad, she may cry, but she wilt understand and support thee. Thou art the best of friends, after all... no matter what."

"Yeah, I'll do that," said Link as he stood back up. Then, he turned and sadly walked toward the path back to the village. "But... it won't be easy."

"It rarely is, my boy. It rarely is," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Thou art growing up. And as thou grow, thou wilt find that many things become less and less easy. It is what separates the children from the adults in the world. I wish thee many blessings on thy adventure."

"I see... thanks, Great Deku Sprout," said Link. He then slowly left the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow with Navi following close behind. Both he and Navi remained silent as Link lumbered through the unusually quiet winding path. In fact, a thousand different scenarios of his bad news to Saria were playing in his head like a super fast slideshow. It was all confusing, and thus only made him even more nervous.

When they emerged from the passageway and into the village, Navi finally spoke up. "Why don't you spend some time with Saria tonight?" she suggested. "You told me how you regretted not spending a night under the stars with her the night before you left on your last adventure."

That one suggestion suddenly washed away the mess of confusion in Link's mind. In its place came that memory from over two years ago, where Link and Saria played many songs on their ocarinas throughout much of the day before they had to return to Kokiri Forest. "That's right... I almost forgot."

"At least you'll have one last wonderful night with her before you begin your journey," said Navi.

"Yeah, but I still have to tell her that I'll be leaving, and now," said Link. "I can't just keep her in the dark until we've spent all evening together... it wouldn't be right."

"That's not what I meant, and you know..." said Navi.

"Hi Link!" a girl's voice suddenly greeted, cutting Navi off.

Link's mind snapped right back to reality. He quickly gazed around and spotted the cerulean eyes of the blond, pigtailed Fado.

"I'm so glad you're home. You left so suddenly after that weird girl came, I was wondering about you," said Fado. But as she stepped closer to Link to hug him, his rather somber expression caught her attention and froze her in her tracks. "Link? What's wrong?"

'Damn... Fado already notices,' Link thought to himself. 'She's another cheerful face that I have to leave behind... I'd hate to have to tell her. But... Saria has to know first. She deserves it.'

"Hi Fado... it's just... been a long day, that's all," he replied, trying to crack a smile to reassure her. He hated having to lie to Fado, but he had to tell Saria first before letting everyone else know.

"Oh, okay," Fado acknowledged as she bought his response, but not without looking confused in the process. "Well, you go and get you some rest, 'kay?" she suggested. "See 'ya, Link."

"Wait, Fado," Link said right before she turned to run off. Fado turned back to him, looking even more confused. "Do you know where Saria is?"

That one question wiped the perplexed look from Fado's face. And she smiled brightly as she replied, "Yes, she's waiting for you at your house. See 'ya, Link."

Although Fado's normally cheerful voice was music to his ears, Link could only wonder what kind of music he'd have to face with Saria. So with Fado gone, Link took a deep breath and walked straight toward his house. When he reached his ladder, he paused for a moment and reflected on everything that Navi and the Great Deku Sprout had told him. With their words empowering him, however little they did, Link mustered up the will and began to ascend his ladder.

When he reached his door, he simply moved his door curtain aside and found Saria sitting in the chair by his table, with Spryte hovering close by. Right when he stepped inside, Saria stood and approached him. As she walked up to him, Link felt his chest burning inside. He knew he had to tell her that he was leaving and wouldn't know when he was coming back, and it pained him to have to. But when Saria wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him, that burning sensation shot through his whole body and made him tense up.

"Welcome home, Link," said Saria as she tightened her hug. "I wanted to wait here for you while you were talking to the Great Deku Sprout." Then, she let go of Link. "So why did he summon you?" Saria asked.

Link was slow to try and answer that question as hundreds of different ways he could tell her swam through his head like a school of fish. Choosing the right one was just too hard. He barely even had a chance to conjure an answer when Saria noticed the gloomy look on his face. "Link, what's wrong?" she asked. "What did he say?"

"Well...," Link began, and then took a deep breath as he explained. "It's something about that not only we and the Zoras, but also the Gorons and Princess Zelda are in danger too. He said that... that..."

Link's stuttering paired with the gloomy look on his face sent shivers running up and down Saria's spine. 'What... what's happening?' she thought to herself. "Link, you're scaring me... what is it?" she said, slowly and unconsciously backing away from him.

"He sensed that Twinrova has come back, and is after the Spiritual Stones to release Ganondorf back into our world, just like we talked about earlier today. He's saying...," Link explained, and then paused again as his chest started to burn again from the anxiety. "He said that... evil has fallen over Hyrule again. And it's not just us, but all of Hyrule is in danger."

Saria gasped very loudly and brought her left hand to her chest. Her mouth hung open and her blue eyes froze wide open. 'I knew it... I just knew it... I knew I had a bad feeling about all of this,' she thought to herself. However, despite all the questions she had, Saria remained frozen as thoughts of Koume burning their village reentered her mind. It was an image she would never be able to completely remove from her mind, for she had never witnessed anything like it in her life. "So... you mean... those witches' attacks on our homes...," she gasped.

"Yeah... was just the beginning," Link replied. 'Dammit, Link, stop beating around the bushes and just tell her already,' he chided inwardly.

"I... I have to see Darunia. I just... hope that Twinrova hasn't attacked the Gorons too."

"I see," Saria somberly replied with the expression on her face mirroring the look on Link's. "So... is the Great Deku Sprout putting you up to this? Is he sending you there to see if they were attacked too?"

"Yeah... he is. But...," Link replied, and then paused as he took a deep breath. "I won't just be going to save the Gorons. There's a lot more happening here. I can sense it, the Great Deku Sprout senses it, and I know you sense it too. I have to stop Twinrova before they do more to the people of Hyrule. I have to keep them from bringing Ganondorf back."

Saria felt her chest burning inside as Link told her. She clinched her left fist tightly as her arms began to tremor. "You're... leaving again... as in... leaving on another big adventure...and don't know when you'll be coming back... aren't you?"

"Yes," Link sadly replied. "I don't want to have to go, but I can't stay here and let Twinrova get away with nearly destroying our homes. I can't let them get the Spiritual Stones and release Ganondorf. I don't want to go, but I have to."

Saria couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was happening all over again, and again. Something bad was happening and Link had to leave the forest, and leave her, again. And as the fact that he was leaving kept looping in her head, she uncurled her trembling left hand and pressed it against her chest. "But... but... you just came back from traveling the world. You just fought a lot of evil already. You've only been home for a month and you're already leaving again?" Saria protested, with her face looking to be on the verge of tears.

"I know," Link sadly replied as he averted his eyes. He just couldn't bear to look at her expression without feeling the dagger pierce his heart. He knew she wasn't going to like him having to leave again, and it really hurt him deep inside to have to. But that look on her face just shredded away at his soul.

"I thought we finally had peace in the forest and in all of Hyrule. I thought that after your two-year long journey traveling the world, you were finally home to stay. I thought that we could be together again," Saria emphasized. Her eyes were fighting hard to deep the tears locked away, but they had her trembling body and the burning in her chest to fight.

"Believe me... I thought so too," Link somberly said, his eyes not even daring to meet Saria's.

As desperately as Saria tried to hold them back, she felt the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I... I thought we'd grow up together. I thought we could finally make up for all that time we were apart, I...," she continued, but hesitated as the burning sensation crawled up her throat and reached her face. She could feel the tears now cascading down her cheeks, and she drew in a sharp breath and whimpered, "We shared some wonderful moments together, Link. We shared our feelings with each other. You even gave me my first kiss. And now you're leaving again?"

Link didn't even have to look at her. He knew she was crying from the moment he heard her hesitate. But when he heard her voice start to whimper, a tsunami of guilt flooded his soul. "I... don't know what to say. But... I'll be back, just like last time," he said.

"Link, look at me," she whimpered.

Link couldn't avoid it any monger, Saria wasn't having any of it. So he reluctantly turned and laid his eyes upon hers. Her normally cheerful and beautiful blue eyes were bloodshot red and shedding rivers of tears. And when he saw those tears cascading down her cheeks, his heart sank in his chest and his throat twisted itself into a knot to where he couldn't speak.

"Is this the way it's going to be?" Saria whimpered, visibly choking back a couple of sobs. "You come home for a month, a few weeks... a **few days**... and then you leave again on another journey for months, even **years**?"

"I...I... I don't know. I hope not," Link replied, barely squeezing the words past his lips. "I... don't... like having to leave you. I just don't."

"But... I can't bear to see you leave again... and again, and **again**," Saria whimpered. She couldn't choke it back anymore. It had drained so much from her that she fell to her knees, buried her face in her hands, and broke out weeping.

Link turned his face away when she started crying. However, the sounds of her sobs were beating in his head like a drum. Link didn't know what to do, what to say, or what to offer to put Saria more at ease. All he could do at that moment was close his eyes and try to block out his own tears that had begun knocking on his door. 'Just come back to her when it's all over,' he unconsciously told himself.

So he opened his eyes and turned back to his best friend as she cried. "Saria...," he barely muttered as he took a step toward her. "I... I'll come back. When it's all over... I'll come back... I always do."

Saria lifted her tear-soaked face and looked right into Link's eyes. "But what if you don't? Your adventures are always so dangerous. What if something happens to you and I never get to see you again?" she argued, and then started crying again.

"Saria," Link gasped. He had to admit, she was right. Link had faced so many dangerous monsters and minions of evil on his adventures that there were many times that he could've easily met his end. No matter how much he could promise to Saria that he would come home, there was always the possibility that he couldn't keep that promise.

"I just... I can't... I don't want," Saria blubbered. "I... I can't take this... I can't take... seeing you leave... **I just can't**." And suddenly, she shot up and ran right by Link and straight for his door, crying the whole way out.

"Saria, wait!" Link called out as he ran after her. But Spryte quickly flew right in front of his face, stopping him after he'd barely taken a couple steps.

"Link, just let her go," Spryte said in a commanding yet comforting voice. "You both are growing up. So you having to leave again is that much harder for the both of you. And it's especially hard for her. Give her some time, okay?"

Spryte then sadly slipped out of Link's house between the doorframe and the door curtain, leaving the distraught boy to his thoughts.

"Spryte's right, you know," said Navi. She slowly hovered up to Link and perched on his shoulder. There, she gave his shoulder a gentle and sympathetic caress. "Think about how distraught you were just a little bit ago when you realized you had to leave her again."

"Yeah... even more than when I had to leave her to look for you," said Link.

"It's because you're growing up. And as you grow up, a lot of things in life become more and more complicated for both you and her," Navi explained. "It's the same for everyone who grows up. It's a part of life, and something that the other Kokiri thankfully never have to experience."

"I see," said Link. "And the fact that I love her only makes it that much harder for us... right?"

"Yes... it does," Navi replied.

"I guess I won't be spending one last wonderful night with her, huh?" Link somberly said.

"I guess not," Navi replied. "But... you can still write to her and come by to visit her during your journey, you know?"

"Yeah... I know," said Link as he walked toward his door.

"Wait, you're going to leave already? The sun's already starting to set," Navi protested. "Why not wait until morning like you always do?"

"That's what I'm gonna do," said Link. "I'm just... going out for a bit. Stay here and watch over the house, okay?"

"Stay here? Why? I'm your guardian fairy. I always accompany you," Navi protested.

"I know... I just want to be alone for a while... that's all," Link sadly explained. "See 'ya, Navi."

Then, he moved his door curtain aside and left his house, leaving the little blue fairy to her thoughts.

"Link...," she gasped. She hated having to let Link go. She worried about him, not only because of his upcoming adventure, but also for his well-being. Having to leave Saria behind again troubled both youths more than ever, and she wondered how Link was going to take it once he leaves the forest in the morning. All she could do now was let out a sigh and float over to her basket bed.

Back outside, Link sadly climbed down his ladder. As he did, he wondered where he wanted to go to be alone. Anywhere in Kokiri Forest was out of the question, and he didn't want to leave the forest either. So that left only the Lost Woods for him to go to be alone, and that was what he decided. But whether to go to the Sacred Forest Meadow, the big twisted moss tree, or the lake where he and Saria shared their first kiss was a decision he was going to have to make when he got there.

When Link turned around to make his way through the village, he found a rather angry-looking Mido stomping up to him. "Hey Growing Boy, you big bully," he snarled as he got right up in Link's face. "What the hell is the big idea?"

"What do you mean?" Link asked, wondering why Mido was so angry with him all of a sudden.

"You know what you did. I saw Saria running out of your house, crying. Now what did you do to her to make her cry?" Mido demanded, inching his angry face closer and closer to Link's.

"N-nothing, I swear, I just...," Link pleaded. Then, he paused and averted his eyes downward, his frown returning to his face. "I just told her that I had to leave the forest again on another journey."

"What? Whaaaat? Again? You just came back a month ago and now you're leaving again?" Mido complained. "I swear, you're gone more than you're here ever since the Great Deku Tree died. How long are you gonna be gone for this time, huh? Weeks? Months? **Years**?"

"I don't know," Link sadly replied before he looked back up at Mido. "Believe me, I don't like having to leave everyone and my best friend behind. But I can't let that witch get away with burning our forest." He then shifted around Mido and began to walk away.

"And just where are you going?" Mido demanded. "Surely you aren't leaving already. It's already evening."

"I'm going to the Lost Woods," Link replied. "I want to be alone for a while. Saria didn't go there, did she?"

"No, she didn't," a somewhat perplexed Mido answered.

"That's good. I'm probably the last person she wants to see right now," Link somberly commented. And with that, he sadly continued on his way toward the Lost Woods, giving somber greetings to what few Kokiri he passed by.

_That night..._

Hours after the sun had set, with all the Kokiri having joined the world in slumber, Saria only lied down in her bed, still wearing her green tunic and shorts and dark green turtleneck. She was very much wide awake and still quite distraught over the Link having to leave the forest again. And since then, since she had burst out of his house in tears and straight into hers, she had not once left her house.

For at least an hour since her hasty and tearful retreat, she laid in her bed and cried into her pillow. And now, she simply laid on her back with her hands resting behind her head and stared up at her ceiling. The small oil nightlight sitting on her table nearby just barely highlighted the wood grain patterns all around her house. No matter how much she tried to close her eyes and drift into sleep, thoughts about Link and being without him again kept her wide awake.

In her left hand, she held the beautiful raindrop locket that Link had given her, with its chain hanging freely from her hand and down the side of her chest. Many times throughout the night, she had clutched the locket tightly in her hand whenever she thought about Link. And then, as the moment when Link first gave her the locket played in her mind, she rolled over onto her left side and lit her bedside lantern. Having given up on sleep, she shifted her position, lied on her belly and elbows, and gazed at the locket in her now open left hand.

Her eyes slowly traced over the diamond and emerald studs that dotted the locket near its outer edges. But as she unconsciously shifted her left hand, the warm light glistening on the large sapphire in the center caught her eye. She took her right index finger and lightly caressed the blue gem, taking in the feel of its many facets. It was such a beautiful locket that Saria couldn't help but to be captivated by it, even after two weeks since Link had given it to her.

Then, Saria pressed her finger against the sapphire and slowly slid the locket open, revealing a black and white picture of Link. She gazed at the picture and imagined her fingers tracing over his facial features. Since she had gotten the locket, she peeked at Link's pictures many times either at night or whenever he was away. And now, as her finger gently touched his smiling face, all she could think about was how this picture was going to be the only way she could see Link, and that she could only imagine her fingers caressing his face.

She felt the tears flowing freely down her cheeks again as that thought dwelled on her mind. Seeing his picture once again reminded her that he was leaving her again. How long would he be gone this time? She did not know. All she had of Link was the old group picture with her sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a younger Link, and her locket. She quickly shut the locket and gripped it tightly in her hand. The burning in her chest quickly reached her throat, and Saria threw her face into her pillow and started crying again.

"Mmm... Saria dear, you're still awake?" Spryte groaned as she awoke from her slumber. She sat up in her basket bed hanging from the ceiling above Saria's nightstand and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Then, she realized how Saria had woken her when the young girl's sobs reached her ears. So she fluttered her wings and floated down beside Saria's face while she cried into her pillow.

"Mmhmm...," Saria replied as she kept crying.

"You know, you should at least **try** to get some sleep," suggested Spryte. "It might help a little."

"Oh yeah, that's so easy for you to say," Saria argued, lifting her face from the pillow and staring her guardian fairy in the face, showing her the tears cascading down her cheeks.

"So you're still thinking about Link having to leave again, huh?" said Spryte.

"My best friend is leaving again on some long and dangerous adventure... **again**. Of course I'm still thinking about him," Saria whimpered and then cried into her pillow again.

"Well, dear, he is the Hero of Time, and there's all kinds of evil in the world. You know that when evil comes, Link has to leave on another adventure to stop it," Spryte explained. "You knew all of this. You knew that he would leave on a long adventure, even before he first left the forest."

Yeah, but... I still didn't like it then, and I still don't like it now," Saria whimpered, her voice half-muffled by her pillow.

"Yes... I know you were very sad when Link first left the forest. You even cried that night. And when he left to look for Navi, you couldn't keep from crying right in front of him when he left. Believe me, I know how sad seeing him leave makes you," said Spryte.

"I just... can't bear seeing him leave... I just can't," Saria whimpered in between sobs.

"Because of your newfound feelings for him, right?" Spryte inquired.

Saria lifted her face from her pillow. "Yes. We were having such wonderful times together. I realized that I had feelings for him. We kissed under the moonlight. I even told him that I love him. And now, he's leaving again... just as we were getting so much closer," Saria blubbered.

"Yes... I can understand how seeing him leave again is that much harder on you," said Spryte. "But remember, you've always been very supportive of him, even though you were sad to see him leave. You helped him on his adventures in ways that even you and I don't realize."

"I know, Spryte. I know," said Saria. "It's not just that... I don't know when he's coming back. The first time that he left, he was gone for months. And the last time he left, he was gone for over two years... **and** was much farther away from home."

"Yes, but he does write to you, does he not?" Spryte asked.

"Yes... as often as he can and whenever he can," Saria replied.

"And he did visit you a few times during his first adventure, right?" Spryte reminded.

Saria nodded in response. Causing a few more tears to fall from her eyes and soak into the pillow.

"Well, as far as Link and Navi know, his journey will very much keep him in Hyrule. So I'm very sure he'll come to see you whenever he can. And when he can't come to see you, he'll write to you," said Spryte, trying her best to reassure Saria. "He's your best friend, he cares a lot about you, so he'll make sure to write you and visit you, okay?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Saria softly agreed. "But... I... I don't want him to go. I want to see him. I want to be with him. I want to..."

And Saria paused as she just about said it. Right at that instant, a bright idea landed right in her lap. And that one idea sent a rush of anxiety through her like a tidal wave as it had neatly presented itself as the solution to her whole dilemma. It was then that she suddenly knew exactly what she wanted. "I... want to go with him," she muttered.

"What do you mean, 'go with him'?" Spryte protested. "You know that Kokiri..."

But Spryte's protest fell on deaf ears as Saria threw her legs over the side of her bed. She then stood up and quickly slid her boots on, and rubbed her left forearm across her eyes to wipe the tears away.

"Saria, what are you...," Spryte began to ask, but Saria turned and ran out of her house before the little fairy could finish. With Saria quickly gone, she let out a discontented sigh and muttered to herself, "That girl... she's getting more and more bold and spontaneous as she grows up."

Back outside, Saria walked though the village with a since of purpose and a determined look on her face. When she walked by Link's house, she paused and glanced up at his door high up the tree. When she did, thoughts of the boy sleeping inside entered her mind. But this time, she did not cry, but instead thought to herself, 'Link... I don't want you to go. But... since you have to... I want to go with you... to see the world that you've seen. If this is the way it's going to be, you always leaving on long adventures away from the forest, then... I want to be there with you.'

"Where are you going, Saria?" Spryte asked as she caught up to Saria and broke her from her thoughts.

"To see the Great Deku Sprout," Saria replied. She then quickly turned and marched through the village and toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow.

"I see," said Spryte as she hung her head down and followed Saria to the twisty path leading to the Great Deku Sprout. There, they found the Deku Babas asleep and completely serene. That relieved her of any worries about a possible nighttime attack from them.

So Saria tip-toed walked through the twisty path, being ever so careful as to not awaken the vicious plants. And soon after her short yet careful trip, she found herself in the vast meadow where the Great Deku Sprout and his long dead predecessor stood. Very few fairies flitted about as most of them were asleep at this late hour. It was a sight not new to Saria, for she had visited the Great Deku Sprout a few times at night while Link was away on his search for Navi.

"My dear Saria... still awake at this late hour. Come hither," said the ever so alert Great Deku Sprout.

Upon hearing him speak to her, Saria took a deep breath, relaxed her body, and approached the arboreal patron.

"I see that something troubles thee and keeps thee in the waking world tonight," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"Yeah, Link told me he had to leave the forest again on another long journey," said Saria. "It's just like the last time he left on a long journey. He's home for barely a month, and now he has to leave again."

"The same, yes, but this time is different too. Last time, Link left because he hath chosen to in order to find his long lost friend. This time, the evil descending upon Hyrule hath made the choice for him. This is a burden that is being placed on his shoulders. It is a burden that he hath beared time and time again," the Great Deku Sprout explained.

"Yes... but... I just can't bear seeing him leave...again, and again, and **again**... I just can't," said Saria as she squeezed her eyes shut to hold the tears back.

"I see. Is this the reason that thou art having trouble sleeping?" the Great Deku Sprout asked.

"Yes. I just can't get it off my mind," said Saria. "I feel like this is how it's going to be forever. Link may come home again, but after a few weeks he has to leave again. It's an endless cycle, and I'll never get to see my best friend like we used to."

"Well, my dear Saria, Link is the Hero of Time. To have these burdens placed on his shoulders is his destiny. Thus, Link having to leave the forest was then and continues to be inevitable. Yet, Link chooses to return to this forest after completing his journeys. It is those times that Link is here amongst us that we must cherish," the Great Deku Sprout explained.

"I see," said Saria as she frowned at his explanation. "I did cherish the time I had with Link. He and I spent some wonderful times together. We threw a big welcome home party on his birthday. He even got to be in this year's festival with us. But now he's going to be gone again, and I don't know when... or **if** I'll ever see him again.

"Yes, I see that thou hast always cherished thy time with Link, and I can understand thy concern for his safety. But, Link needs the support of all his friends, especially his best friend. He needs someone to come home to, someone to spend time with him, and someone to help ease his troubles that his journey will certainly bring him. It is the least that thou can do for him, and what thou hast always done for him," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Was it not thou who taught him how to play the ocarina that proved to be crucial during his journeys?"

"Yes... it was," Saria replied. Then, she looked right back up into his eyes. "But what more can I do for him now? There's nothing I can do except just sit here and wait and worry."

"Just be there for him, and share with him thy friendship. As far as I can foresee, Link's journey wilt likely keep him within Hyrule... just like his first journey hath done. And just like with his first journey, I am certain Link wilt come to visit thee."

"That's just it. I **want** to be there for him, but I can't take seeing him come and go and wondering if I'll ever see him again," said Saria. Then, she paused for a moment and took a deep breath as her heart started to pound in her chest. "That's why... I... want to go with him."

And then silence fell upon the meadow. Saria felt her heart beating harder and the blood rushing though her veins as she waited anxiously for what seemed like minutes for the Great Deku Sprout to respond.

But after only ten seconds, the Great Deku Sprout responded, "Now, Saria, thou know that the children of Kokiri Forest cannot leave this forest."

"Yes, I know that," said Saria. "But... I want to see the world that Link sees. I want to be able to help him and be there with him and give him my support. I can't do that here anymore. I just think, I can help him best if I go with him."

"I understand thy concern for thy best friend and thy desire to be with him. But thou art my beloved child, and I cannot allow my beloved children to leave the forest," said the Great Deku Sprout.

"But Link is your beloved child too, isn't he? Yet you let him leave the forest," Saria argued.

"Now now, dear, don't argue...," Spryte pleaded, trying to stop Saria from arguing with and questioning the forest's guardian, something no one ever did.

"That is because Link is a Hylian, and not a Kokiri. Thus, he could leave the forest at his leisure," the Great Deku Sprout explained. "But... I assure thee, it pained my predecessor to have to send Link out of the forest for his first journey. And it pains me now to have to send him out now. Although full of many wonders as told in my stories, the world is also full of many dangers. It would fill be with great sorrow should ill happenings befall any of my children. That is one of the reasons why Kokiri children cannot leave the forest.

She frowned even more as the Great Deku Sprout explained. He obviously cared deeply for everyone in the forest, especially her and Link. "I... I understand," she gasped. She loved the forest just as much as everyone else did. And she cared a lot for everyone too, especially Link. But without Link, she felt as if it a part of her was missing. And she lamented at that thought.

So she looked back up at the Great Deku Sprout and pleaded, "But... I'm different than the other Kokiri, and you know it. I'm growing up now. I'm not going to be a child for very much longer. On top of that, I'm the Forest Sage whose powers have awakened once already. You gave me so many books and told me so much about the outside world. And now that Link's leaving again, I want to go with him and see the world with him."

"And what would the others think if thou left the forest?" the Great Deku Sprout asked. "They all look up to thee and think of thee as an elder sister... perhaps even a mother."

"They look up to Link too... as do I... because he can leave the forest and they can't," Saria somberly said. "But... no one ever wonders why Link can leave the forest, and even **grow up**, and they can't. They don't even know that Link's really a Hylian. So they won't wonder why I leave the forest. The real question is: what will everyone think when they find out that **I** am growing up **too**?"

"Well, my dear Saria, that is a question that shall be answered when thou tell everyone or when they notice thee growing up," said the Great Deku Sprout. "But as different as thou art from the others, I simply cannot allow thee to leave the forest. It is far too dangerous out there, especially with evil falling upon Hyrule. Not only will I grieve if something happens to thee, but everyone in the forest, and especially Link, will grieve as well."

Saria felt a burning in her chest. She couldn't stand not being able to see Link for who knew how long. She couldn't stand him always having to leave. She wanted to accompany him on his adventures, and the Great Deku Sprout was shattering those hopes of possibly ever seeing him again. "But... I would be with Link. There's no safer place to be than near his side," she pleaded.

"Dost thou think that he would be able to complete his quest if he has to watch over thee as well?" the Great Deku Sprout asked a little more firmly. "It is already going to be a difficult ordeal for him, which is why I cannot burden him any more than I already have."

"Which is why I want to be there with him," Saria argued. "Just having his best friend there with him will put him more at ease on his journey. And I wouldn't have to worry about him either... just... be there for him and help him."

"Saria, I can't just let thee leave the forest because thou art having a difficult time dealing with Link having to leave the forest time and time again," the Great Deku Sprout firmly said.

Saria couldn't hold them back anymore. She hung her head down as the burning sensation reached her throat and eyes, forcing the tears to well up in her eyes.

"It is his destiny to embark on whatever adventures come his way, and thy place is here in the forest," the Great Deku Sprout continued. "Thou hast dealt with Link leaving the forest before and even gave him thy support as his best friend. Certainly thou can cope with it now."

"But Great Deku Sprout, I love him," Saria yelled, looking straight at the Great Deku Sprout with her tear-filled eyes and her face on the verge of weeping. She then fell to her hands and knees as her tears fell to the grass below, and gasped, "I love him."

The Great Deku Sprout stood silent upon seeing the tears shed from her beautiful blue eyes and hearing her say those words. And there, he pondered as Saria drew in a sharp breath.

"I can't stop thinking about him," Saria whimpered. "Whether he's away on a journey... or even home... there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him. And when I think about him... it makes me feel so warm inside... and makes me want to be with him even more. And... when I **am** with him... I feel so happy. I'm in love with him... I know it."

"Yes... indeed thou dost," said the Great Deku Sprout as Saria cried. "I see thou hast grown so much in so many ways, more than even I realize."

"I've been with her throughout her whole life, and it's surprising even **me** with how much she's grown in the last couple years," Spryte explained, who was lovingly caressing Saria's shoulder as the young girl cried.

"It would greatly sadden me if I let Saria leave the forest too," the Great Deku Sprout somberly said. "I love all my children so much. But now Saria is beginning to understand the love I feel... and the love that she feels. So to keep Saria here, worrying about Link so much, would sadden me too."

After a brief moment of silence, as the Great Deku Sprout pondered this predicament, he made his decision. "Saria?"

"What?" Saria replied with her tears still evident in her voice.

"If it is what thou truly desire, then thou may accompany Link on his quest," said the Great Deku Sprout.

All of a sudden, Saria gasped loudly as a new wave of energy sparked within her. She looked back up at the Great Deku Sprout, with her face gleaming with joy. "Really?"

"Yes, Saria. But as I have said, the outside world is a wondrous place in its own way, but it is also a dangerous place for anyone who hath lived their entire lives under the protection of this forest," said the Great Deku Sprout. "Most assuredly I say to thee, once outside this forest, my powers cannot protect thee."

"I know," said Saria. "I'm willing to face the same dangers that Link will face. I wouldn't be much of a sage if I've never faced the good and the bad in the world, am I right?"

"Yes... indeed thou art," said the Great Deku Sprout. "And thou shalt have my blessings, my dear Saria. From this night forth, thou art permitted to leave this forest and see the world whenever thou desire, just as Link doth. And thou shalt always be welcome in Kokiri Forest... and have a home amongst us."

"Oh thank you, Great Deku Sprout," Saria squealed with joy as she leaped toward the forest patron and threw her arms around his trunk. "I love you."

"I love thee too, my dear Saria," the Great Deku Sprout said as Saria hugged him. "Be careful out there, okay?"

"I will, Great Deku Sprout. I promise," Saria complied as she let go of him.

_The next morning..._

Saria wasn't the only one who had a restless night. Link also had a difficult time falling asleep, with thoughts of leaving the forest and his beloved best friend behind dominating his mind. And not only that, he had also upset Saria and made her cry when he told her that he had to leave. The combination of sadness and guilt had kept him awake all the way past midnight. But he did at least get some sleep.

So after hearing Navi's reveille, Link pushed himself out of bed and splashed himself in the face with the cup of water he always kept by his bed. Despite having a poor night's sleep, Link had to wake himself up and get going toward Kakariko Village, Death Mountain, and Goron City as quickly as he could. He opened his wardrobe and grabbed his green Kokiri tunic, his white undershirt, his white tights, and his brown belt, bracers, and boots.

After quickly getting dressed, Link grabbed another couple of complete outfits for his long journey and packed them into a tight sack. The tight sack made it possible for Link to fit multiple outfits easily into his magical item sack. In fact, Link could carry everything he needed for an extended leave from home in that one item bag. It was simply one of the best and most practical gifts that he had ever gotten.

After grabbing a number of supplies that he would need on his long and unquestionably dangerous journey, Link looked around his house and checked himself over to make sure he didn't forget anything. Once assured that he'd forgotten nothing and was completely prepared, he strapped on his sword and shield and left his house.

With so little time having passed since the cucco crowed to signal the beginning of the day, only a couple of early-rising Kokiri were out in the village to start their usual morning chores. Link decided to pay them little attention, outside his usual greetings, and press on. The last thing he wanted was to attract the attention of every Kokiri in the forest and have to say his long goodbyes to every one of them. But when he passed by Saria's house, he paused and stared right at her front door. There, he pondered the girl whom he figured was still sleeping inside.

'I really don't want to leave you, Saria,' Link thought to himself. 'I want to be with you. I want to sit with you in the Lost Woods, to play some wonderful songs with you, and even hold you in my arms. But... I have to go; otherwise there won't **be** a Lost Woods for us to be alone together in. I'm sorry, Saria. But... I'll write you and come back to visit you... I promise.'

Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he turned and made his way toward the passage out of the village, greeting a Kokiri girl along the way. When he reached the rope bridge, Navi spoke up.

"Are you okay with all of this, Link?" she asked.

"Yeah," Link somberly replied as he stepped onto the bridge. "I don't really have a choice, do I? Even if I wasn't okay with it all... I still have to do this, or else everyone in Hyrule will suffer if Twinrova releases Ganondorf."

"I knew you'd say that," said Navi.

"Link, waaaiit!" a girl's voice hollered just as Link reached the middle of the bridge.

He turned around, and his heart suddenly sank deep when he saw Saria emerge from the passage to the village and run up to him. He knew another long goodbye was coming, just like the last couple of times he left. It pained him to have to say goodbye to her, not knowing how long his adventure would be. In fact, he couldn't bear to have to go through it again, not after yesterday when he broke the news to her. Link only turned his eyes away from her and hung his head.

"Saria, there's... nothing you can say to make me change my mind," he somberly said.

"I know," Saria replied.

With his heart pounding in his chest and yesterday dwelling on his mind, Link took a deep breath. Then, he turned his face to meet Saria's blue eyes. "I'm sorry about yesterday," he apologized. "I'm sorry I made you cry."

Saria shook her head in response to Link's apology, "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I should be supporting you like I always have. I shouldn't have acted the way I did and run out on you last night."

"Yeah, I wish we could've spent one last night together before I leave," said Link, again reflecting on last night. He took another deep breath and continued, "Look, I'm sorry I have to go. I'll write to you as soon as I can and I'll write often. I'll even come back and visit whenever I can. I just... don't like having to say 'goodbye'... especially long goodbyes."

"Goodbye? What do you mean, 'goodbye'? I'm going with you," Saria argued.

Link paused for a moment as her words were rather slow to sink in. Surely, Saria was being facetious. She couldn't possibly think that she as a Kokiri could ever leave the forest with him, as much as he would've liked her to. But, when he looked down at her waist and saw a pair of sacks, not unlike his own, hanging from her belt, he inwardly gasped as he realized that she was being serious.

"G-going with me? Come on, Saria, don't be silly. You know that Kokiri can't leave the forest," Link argued.

"But you leave the forest all the time," Saria rebutted. "No one ever wonders why you can leave when they can't."

"Saria, we both know that I'm not a Kokiri. I didn't even get my own guardian fairy 'til I was 10, and for good when I was almost 13. I'm growing up while everyone else stays children forever," Link explained, and then turned away. "As much as Kokiri Forest is my home, I'm a Hylian, not a Kokiri. I'm not bound here like you are."

"Link, look at me," said Saria.

Link obediently turned to face Saria.

"I'm not like the other Kokiri, and you know it. **I'm** growing up too... even if I'm only growing half as fast as you are. And I'm going to be the Forest Sage," she explained.

"So? That doesn't mean you can leave the forest," Link argued. "You're still a Kokiri and are still bound to this forest just like everyone else.""

"Link, you're leaving on a long and hard journey. I can't imagine what kind of troubles you'll face along the way. But you need the support of your friends, and I can only do so much here. That's why I'm going with you," she continued to argue.

"Saria, you help me out a lot already just by being here," said Link.

"But what if something happens to you and I'm not there to help you?" said Saria.

"Saria, you're a Kokiri," Link argued back, raising his voice. "You can't leave this forest, and you know it. So don't even try to think that you can."

That response only served to anger Saria. She clinched her fists, stomped her right foot forward, and raised her voice back at him. "Oh yeah? Watch me."

And Saria stomped around a rather shocked Link and down the bridge toward the direction of Hyrule Field.

Now he knew that she was serious, and his heart immediately began to hammer at his chest when he realized what exactly she was doing. "No, Saria. Don't do it," he pleaded.

"Don't try to stop me, Link," Saria snapped as she furiously continued down the bridge.

Link acted quickly and ran toward Saria. He grabbed her by the shoulders and tried desperately to keep her from leaving. But Saria only struggled against him. "Saria, don't be an idiot," he pleaded as he struggled with her.

"Let... go of me," Saria grunted, trying to pull and struggle out of Link's grasp.

"Saria, if you leave, you'll **die**," Link pleaded, trying desperately to hold her back with everything he had. But it was no use as Saria kept squirming and pulling, slowly beginning to slip out of Link's grasp.

"Let... me... **go**!" Saria yelled as she turned around and shoved Link away. The force from Saria's push caused Link to stagger back and fall on his bum as Saria took off running out of the forest.

Link felt the burning sense of fear rush through his whole body as he watched Saria running seemingly to what he perceived to be her death. "Saria, no!" Link yelled, jumping back to his feet and running after her.

But his desperate attempt to stop Saria proved futile. Saria disappeared into the thickest parts of the forest between the bridge and Hyrule Field. She was simply too far ahead for him to reach her before she left the forest. Figuring that his beloved best friend was doomed to the fate that befell children who leave the forest, Link dropped to his hands and knees. There, he felt the tears well up in his eyes.

"Dammit, Saria, why did you have to go and do it?" Link asked no one in particular.

"Link...," Navi gasped. The pain that Link was feeling right then was so strong that even Navi was feeling it. And as both his and her pain hit her hard, tears began to roll down her own cheeks too.

"What were you trying to prove?" Link yelled, his tears made quite evident in his voice. "You knew that Kokiri die when they leave the forest. We all heard the stories."

"No... Saria...," Navi gasped, doing her best to choke back her own sobs. She was Link's guardian fairy. She had to be strong for him at a time when he hurt the most.

"Why, Saria? Why?" Link yelled before he finally began to cry.

'I wish I could to something for him,' Navi thought to herself as she watched the Hero of Time cry. 'I just wish, I could say something to help him feel better, something to help him mourn and continue his journey. Goddesses, he's hurting so much, and there's so little that I can do for him.'

"Link?" the voice of another fairy called out to him. "Link?"

Navi looked toward the path out of the forest to see Spryte speeding toward them. "Link, come quickly. You've got to see this," said Spryte, sounding quite urgent.

"Why? Saria's already dead. I know it," Link blubbered.

"No, Link. It's okay. Come on outside and see for yourself," Spryte reassured in a calmer and more joyful tone.

So Link stood back up and wiped the tears from his face and eyes. Then, he followed Saria's guardian fairy, running down the twisted path through the thick and hilly part of the forest. In only a few minutes time, he found the light that led out of the forest and picked up his pace, running past Spryte in the process. When he emerged from the forest and stepped foot onto the grass of Hyrule Field, he discovered Saria to not only be miraculously alive, but also looking all around her.

Saria stood there, far past the tree line, and gazed all about the field with a look of awe upon her face. As much as she had read about the outside world, as much as she had heard the stories from Link and the Great Deku Sprout, to finally get to see the world outside the forest with her own two eyes was totally amazing, to say the least.

"Saria?" Link said to her as he slowly approached her, oblivious to Saria being completely captivated by their surroundings. "Saria, are you alright?"

"Wow...," Saria gasped, barely above a whisper.

That one simple reaction sent a rush of relief through Link's body. 'Thank the goddesses she's okay,' he thought to himself. 'But... why? I thought... **we** thought... that Kokiri can't leave the forest.'

"So this is the great big world outside the forest," said Saria as she began to slowly walk further into Hyrule Field, completely aware of Link's presence.

Link stood there, watching Saria take in the sights and sounds of Hyrule Field. "Yes, Saria, this is it," he replied. "But this is only a small part of this great big world. Just Hyrule Field by itself is huge... so much bigger than even the Lost Woods."

Although it didn't seem so to Link, Saria listened to everything he said. She continued to slowly walk through the vast Hyrule Field, taking in every sight from the few trees to the rolling hills. But what amazed her the most was how far away she could see. After spending her whole life in the forest, with the trees blocking one's view of anything in the forest, Saria couldn't help but be amazed. She saw a few distant trees just peaking over the horizon and even a few of the jagged formations that she concluded to be the mountains that she had heard and read about. She had never seen anything so far away in her life, and it mesmerized her.

"So what do you think?" Link asked, smiling as he continued to watch Saria gazed all around her.

"I... I love it. It's just... simply... amazing," Saria gasped, still captivated by the whole new world that she was experiencing. Then suddenly, she took of running down the field. After a rather short run, she stopped, spread her arms, and twirled about while giggling like a schoolgirl.

Link and Navi both couldn't help but giggle along with Saria. Seeing her so ecstatic reminded them of how amazed and excited Link was when he first left the forest. 'Now I **know** she's okay,' Link thought to himself. 'I don't know how she was able to leave the forest, but... I'm glad. I'm glad that she can finally leave the forest with me. Now I can finally show her all the wonderful things in this world.'

Saria then ran back toward Link and Navi, wearing a bright and delighted smile, and threw herself into Link's arms, knocking him a few steps back. "Oh Link, this is so wonderful," she said as she hugged him tightly. "Now we can finally be together outside the forest, not just in the Lost Woods."

"Yes, it really is amazing," Link replied, as he returned Saria's embrace. "I'm just... so happy that you can be out here with me. But how? I thought that..."

Link's sentence suddenly cut off as Saria pressed her soft and silky lips to his. Effectively shut up by Saria's lips, Link closed his eyes and gently caressed them with his own. And there, they kissed under the morning sun, sharing with each other just how excited they were to get to be outside the forest together. They no longer had just the Lost Woods to themselves. They had the whole world.

After a short and blissful moment, Saria broke the kiss and opened her beautiful blue eyes. Then, she embraced him even tighter and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Oh I love you, Link," she softly said, squeezing him affectionately.

"I love you too, Saria," Link replied, returning her affectionate squeeze with one of his own. 'Love each other, huh?' he thought to himself as he held the pretty Kokiri girl close. 'I do love her, but that's the first time we've actually said it to each other. Though somehow, I have this feeling that we've said it before.'

"Now there's something you don't see everyday," a voice suddenly sounded. Startled, Link and Saria quickly let go of each other and looked all around them for whomever had spoken to them.

"I find here, outside the forest, not one but two fairy children," the voice continued. "Usually, I find only one of them."

Link and Saria both glanced up a nearly bare tree to find an enormous eagle owl perched atop its largest branch. "Oh hi there, Kaepora Gaebora," Saria greeted and waved at the wise old owl.

"Geez, Kaepora Gaebora, don't scare us like that," said Link

"I'm sorry, Link. I heard about what happened at both the forest and Zora's Domain. I'm just glad that everyone was okay and the Spiritual Stones are still safe. I assume that you're off to Goron City to see if they too fell to the same fate?" said Kaepora Gaebora.

"You know about all of that?" said Link.

"Of course I know about that," Kaepora Gaebora replied. "I also know that you're embarking on a much bigger journey than just checking on the Gorons. I too have sensed the evil that's fallen over Hyrule, you know, as have you. And I see that you aren't alone this time. Is that Saria accompanying you?"

"Yes, Saria's coming with me," Link replied.

"I wanted to help him and be there with him, and I left the forest so I could," Saria added.

"I see. It's wonderful that you two will be together on this journey," Kaepora Gaebora explained. "This will certainly be a trying journey for the both of you. It will put your special friendship through many tests, and it will also help it to grow even more. Link, having her with you is a blessing. Even during your toughest trials, having your best friend close to you will help ease the burden. She'll even help you to feel less homesick too."

"Believe me, I'm glad to have her with me in more ways than one," said Link.

"As long as you cherish your friendship, you two will do well. I must be going now. I'll fly on ahead and see what I can find out about the Gorons and the two witches who attacked you and the Zoras. Safe journey, dear children," said Kaepora Gaebora. He then spread his enormous wings and gave a few powerful flaps. And in an instant, Kaepora Gaebora was airborne and flying northward.

With the owl out of sight, Saria turned back to Link and asked, "So, which way do we go to see the Gorons?"

"Well..." Link began as he reached into his bag on his left hip and extracted his brown fairy ocarina. "As soon as Epona gets here, we'll head north toward Kakariko Village. It sits at the foot of Death Mountain, where the Gorons live, and lots of people live there. I'm sure they can help us once we get there."

"I see. And you call your horse with your ocarina?" Saria wondered.

"Yes. If it wasn't for this ocarina you gave me and you teaching me how to play it, I would never have befriended Epona," Link explained before he placed the ocarina to his lips.

"That's so wonderful," Saria commented, blushing slightly. It continued to amaze her just how much she had helped Link by teaching him the ocarina and giving him one as a gift.

Link, however, closed his eyes and began to play the sweet and pastoral _"Epona's Song"_ to summon his equine friend. As he played the song that he had learned from Malon three years ago, Saria closed her eyes and slowly rocked side to side with the rhythm of the song.

"Such a pretty song to be calling your horse with," she softly commented.

A half-hour later, despite patiently waiting and even playing _"Epona's Song"_ a couple more times, Epona never showed up. It was certainly unusual that the filly not show up, and it got both children and their fairies wondering.

"Well, where is she?" Link asked no one in particular.

"I thought your song always summoned her," said Saria.

"It does," Link reassured. "She never takes this long to get here, even if she's back at the Lon Lon Ranch... unless..."

"Unless... what?" Saria wondered as Link paused.

"Oh man, Talon must be riding her on one of his deliveries," Link concluded, lamenting at the thought. "Twinrova couldn't have picked a worse time to return."

"It's okay, Link," Saria reassured. "I kind of want to see and experience this world while we're on our way there."

"Yeah, I see your point," said Link, once again remembering his own first time outside the forest. He too wanted to experience the great big world when he was on his way to Hyrule Castle. So it was only natural that Saria would want to as well. And Link wasn't going to deny her that first experience.

"So how far is the village?" Saria asked.

"Oh, it's quite far," Link replied. "It takes me about a couple hours to get there on Epona, and she's the fastest horse around. So I doubt we'd make it there before sundown."

"Well, let's go," said Saria. "Let's go see this beautiful field on our way to the village."

So both children set off northward through Hyrule Field. Their trip there was to be long and tedious, but at least they could experience being surrounded by the scenery of this wonderful world outside the forest together. It was going to be the first of many long and semi-leisurely trips that they would take throughout this long and dangerous adventure. So they might as well enjoy these more leisurely trips whenever possible.

_That evening..._

An hour had passed since the sun had set. The sky continued to get darker and darker, making it harder for Link and Saria to navigate the field with only Link's lantern providing what little light it could. They still had some distance to go before reaching Kakariko Village, so they had decided to set up camp for the night.

They set up a small fire near a tree by the road, since the roads were always the safest places to keep near at night. They had what little bit of food that Link had brought with him to cook. And then, they leaned up against the tree together and enjoyed their first night together outside the forest.

Saria sat leaning into Link, with both her arms wrapped around his chest, her right cheek resting against his left shoulder, and her legs lying across his. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let out a very dreamy sigh. "This is so wonderful, Link," she softly commented. "Us, being alone together... only this time outside the forest... is just wonderful."

"It surely is," Link agreed as he affectionately squeezed Saria. He too had his arms wrapped around her shoulders as she leaned against him. To him, there was nothing that could ease the burden placed on his shoulders like having the beautiful Kokiri girl whom he loved in his arms.

But as wonderful as having her there with him was, one question kept beckoning him all day. "It's so great to have you here with me, but... how are you able to leave the forest and not die?" he asked. "I thought Kokiri couldn't leave the forest."

"Well... I'm different from the other Kokiri," Saria replied, her eyes still closed as she snuggled into Link a little bit more. "Kokiri can't leave the forest, but I think it's because we leave the Great Deku Sprout's protective powers when we do. We Kokiri remain as children forever, you know. So I think he just keeps us in the forest where we can always be children, safe from the dangers of the world as we can be, and where he can always watch over us. But... we're also a part of the forest just as much as the trees, bushes, and animals are."

"I think I understand," said Link. He then let his left hand drift to Saria's back and gently caress it. "So he basically let you leave the forest since you're growing up too, huh?"

"Mmhmm," Saria softly replied. She felt her body tingle slightly at Link's touch, and then quickly relax as it soothed her. "Feels so good," she softly said.

"Yeah, it does feel good, having you here with me," said Link as he continued to gently stroke and caress Saria's back. Although it wasn't the soft satin of her dress or her silky smooth skin, feeling the soft green fabric of Saria's tunic against his hand was far better than being without her for weeks or even months. Needless to say, having her in his arms made him feel so warm inside, knowing he was going to have this with her so much more often during this long journey.

"You know, Saria, this is going to be a wonderful adventure," he said. "We'll be together the whole time. Wherever our journey takes us, we'll get to see the world and experience its many wonders as well as its dangers along the way."

Link smiled at the wonderful thoughts about what all lied ahead for them both. It was going to be a dangerous adventure, just like his previous ones were. But that didn't mean that they couldn't share some wonderful company together when it wasn't so dangerous.

"There are so many places I want to show you, Saria," Link continued. "There's the overcrowded castle town and the majestic castle itself, there's the Lon Lon Ranch out in the middle of the field, and there's the enormous and beautiful Lake Hylia. There's so much in this world that I want to show you. I've wished for this for a long time, and now I finally get to show you the world. And I bet you want to see everything too, right Saria?"

Silence was the only response to everything Link was saying. Only the crackling of the campfire and a few crickets chirping sounded around them.

"Saria?" said Link, giving her a gentle jostle to see if she had heard him. But still, Saria remained still and silent. And then, Link glanced down at her face and discovered why as he found her eyes closed and her breathing slow and gentle.

"I see... fast asleep," Link softly commented, barely above a whisper. But he couldn't help but be captivated by the girl sleeping in his arms. She looked so happy and serene, cuddled up against him, that it warmed his heart. He had never had Saria fall asleep before he did, let alone in his arms. It was a completely new experience for him, and it ignited a whole new set of feelings within him.

"You must've been really tired, huh?" said Link as he tightened his hold on Saria, snuggling her in even closer. It wasn't just the overwhelming experience of being outside the forest and in the world for the first time that had left Saria drained. It was also the fact that she had gotten so little sleep the night before.

Link once again glanced down at Saria's pretty face and smiled. He then leaned his face toward hers and softly kissed her on her silky lips. "Good night, Saria. I love you," he softly whispered.

He then leaned his head against hers, closed his eyes, and slowly drifted to sleep as the pretty Kokiri girl lied comfortably in his arms. They both were certainly going to have some wonderful dreams tonight.

_end of chapter 13  
_

* * *

And thus their journey together begins. This is what I intended from the very beginning, for them to go on a long adventure... together. And I even included a little bit of Link/Saria squishiness at the end. So between Link's visit with the Great Deku Sprout, him breaking the news to Saria, Saria's visit to the Great Deku Sprout, Link and Saria leaving the forest together, and everything in between, they made for **the longest** chapter I've written for this story. I've written chapters for other stories in the past that were much longer, but nowadays when I write shorter yet more organized chapters, it's quite long. I had thought about splitting this chapter up, but I found no appropriate place to split this chapter up, especially since everything in this chapter dealt with the same theme, unlike my previous splits.

It was also the most difficult chapter I've ever written. It wasn't just the content that made it difficult, but also getting it to flow and making it really good that was the toughest part. I've had to rewrite parts of this chapter twice, maybe three times in one area, before I got it write. It was to be a major chapter in the story, so I wanted to get it right. It wasn't easy, but I'm satisfied with the results. I thank all the readers who have been so patient with waiting for these chapters to come out. I know there are writers who take much much longer to put out chapters, which can often be a turn-off for readers... which is why I try to update as quickly as I can, but not so quick as it degrades my writing. I thank everyone for their support thus far, and hope everyone is enjoying this story and will come back for more. Any and all reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	15. Chapter 14: An Unwelcome Visit

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 14

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Last chapter was so awesome, and has gotten all kinds of good review. I thank everyone for the wonderful reviews of that chapter. It was certainly the toughest one I've written thus far. So with Saria now able to leave the forest and accompany Link on his next adventure, what will their new adventure have in store for them? And how will it affect their special friendship? Only this and future chapters will tell the tale.

First, I want to apologize for taking a couple months to post Chapter 14. After writing Chapter 13, and a lot of excitement happening in the months of August and September and even early October _(all good excitement, I assure you)_, I decided to take a month to month and a half long break from writing. I started back on this chapter a little over a couple weeks ago. So now I'm back in business, bringing you the story of Link's and Saria's new adventure. Again, I apologize for my long absence. And I thank all of those who have continued to read and review, and have been patient in waiting for this upcoming chapter. Enjoy :)

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 14: An Unwelcome Visit

_The Next Morning..._

Link most certainly had the best night of sleep outside of home under the stars that he had ever had. And why wouldn't he? He had his best friend in the whole world snuggled in his arms the whole night. It was the first of what would be many nights alone together they would spend, the way they did the night before, and away from the others at Kokiri Forest. That fact alone made Link's sleep only that much more peaceful. Needless to say, he was still more than ecstatic to have Saria accompanying him on his new adventure.

His sleep was so peaceful that neither the sun rising in the east nor the crow of a distant cucco could wake him. It wasn't until the sensation of something brushing against his lips invaded his dream that he began to stir. But then his eyes suddenly popped open when that brushing feeling began to press against his lips. When they did, he found Saria greeting him with a gentle kiss.

Before he could return her kiss, Saria backed away and gazed into his blue eyes, smiling warmly at him. "Good morning, Link," she cheerfully greeted.

Link couldn't help but to smile right back at her, "Good morning to you too, Saria."

"You looked like you had a wonderful night's sleep," she commented. "You looked so peaceful sleeping, that I couldn't wake you just yet."

"Oh yeah, it was wonderful," said Link as he stretched his arms. Then, he looked back into Saria's beautiful blue eyes and continued. "It's because I had you with me last night."

Saria beamed and giggled bashfully at Link, "Now stop it, Link. You're gonna make me blush."

Suddenly, before Link could respond, a strange yet pleasant aroma caught his attention. He closed his eyes, sniffed the air, and inhaled deeply through his nose, taking in the fine aroma. It was such a powerfully pleasant aroma that it made his mouth water. "Mmmm... something smells really good," he said. "What'cha cooking, Saria?"

"Oh, just some eggs and breakfast meats I brought with me," Saria replied. "I thought we'd have at least one good breakfast before we get to Kakariko Village.

"That's really thoughtful of you. I usually bring just bread, nuts, fruits, and berries. I don't get to actually cook very often, even though I learned how," said Link.

"I can understand why. They don't spoil nearly as fast as meat and eggs do. But it's nice to gave some good food when you're traveling," said Saria. "Breakfast is ready. Shall we?"

"You bet," Link eagerly replied. He stood up and joined Saria at the campfire where she was cooking the eggs and breakfast meat patties. But that wasn't going to be their whole breakfast that morning.

Link and Saria also brought a few of the many fruits found in both Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods, as well as some fine bread left over from the festival. And to top it all off, they brought a bottle each of invigorating Lon Lon Milk. It all made for a wonderful breakfast out in the wilderness. And they didn't even have to hunt anything for it either.

So Link and Saria sat together by the campfire and grabbed their breakfast. For the next half hour, they enjoyed a wonderful breakfast from home, knowing it would probably be their last meal from home for a while. They said lithe throughout the meal, deciding to just enjoy Saria's exquisite cooking as well as each other's company. They both knew they had a wild adventure ahead, so it was best that they enjoy this little moment together before continuing on their way.

After finishing their breakfast, Link and Saria cleaned up their campsite, extinguished the campfire, and grabbed their things. Then, they turned to each other. "Are you ready, Saria?" Link asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Saria replied.

"Then it's off to Kakariko Village we go," said Link.

So the two youths walked back onto the road and continued on their journey to Kakariko Village and Death Mountain.

"So how much farther do we have to go until we reach the village?" Saria asked as they stepped foot onto the road.

"Oh, I think we still have only a few hours before we get there," Link replied.

"Wow, this village is so far away from home," Saria commented. "Did you really walk all these long distances on your last adventures?"

"I sure did," Link replied. "All throughout my first adventure, I walked or ran just about everywhere I went. A lot of times, it took me a day or two of traveling just to get anywhere."

"Really? I never realized just how far everything really is," an astonished Saria commented. "This world really is huge, isn't it?"

"Oh it's much bigger than that," said Link. "I don't remember how long it took me to get to the harbor town from my long adventure in Termina, and I was riding Epona the whole way. And then, the ocean is so big that it took at least a week or two to reach Holodrum by ship. And both Holodrum and Labrynna are easily as big as Hyrule is, if not bigger."

Saria gasped at Link's description of his travels and commented, "That's just... amazing, all the traveling you've done. I never really understood just how big the world really is until I left the forest with you and saw for myself."

"Well, that just means that we have that much more of the world to explore together once this adventure is over," said Link, smiling at the pretty Kokiri girl walking to his right.

Saria smiled back at the handsome hero as they continued their trek toward Kakariko Village. "So why do we have to go to Kakariko Village if we're supposed to be going up Death Mountain to see the Gorons?" she wondered.

"Because Kakariko Village sits at the bottom of Death Mountain and is also the best way to get to the mountain. Besides, it's a great place to stop and eat before we go up the mountain. And the people there are pretty friendly," Link explained.

"Oh I see, you just want to show me around, huh?" Saria teased, giving Link a knowing smirk.

"Well yeah, that too," said Link.

"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's hurry up and get there," said Saria before she quickened her pace. And the two youths jogged the rest of their way to Kakariko Village, pausing every so often to catch their breath before jogging again.

_A couple hours later..._

Soon, after crossing the sturdy wooden bridge across the river that flowed from Zora's Domain, a long stair path carved into the hillside greeted the young travelers. Link immediately recognized it as the very stair path that led straight to Kakariko Village.

"We're almost there, Saria," said Link as he began jogging even faster toward the stair path, with Saria following close behind.

"But I don't see it," Saria commented. "Where's the village? How much further is it?"

Link slowed down and explained, "See that stair path? It leads straight to the village. Kakariko Village is just on the other side of that hill. In fact, the whole village is surrounded by hills. It helps protect the village."

"I see, kind of like how the forest protects our village, right?" said Saria.

"Exactly," Link replied.

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions, Link," said Saria, "I've read a lot of books about Hyrule, and even a little bit of Hyrule's history, but I haven't read everything. And then I see this great big world for myself... and I'm just so beyond amazed that I forget half of what I've read."

"Yes, this really is an amazing world," said Link as the two young travelers ascended the stone steps to Kakariko Village.

Once up the steps, Link and Saria followed a long passage toward the village. Carved into the hills generations ago by the Sheikah, the shadow warriors who have protected Hyrule's Royal Family for generations and who also founded Kakariko Village, this passage stood as a bottleneck for any potential invaders. At the end of the passage stood a rather simple log wall sitting atop the ruins of a former masonry wall. With the Hyrulian Civil War long past and peace upon Hyrule, only that simple unfortified wall with a welcome sign greeted visitors of the small village.

When Link and Saria approached the village gate, they found very little activity going into or coming out of the village. Not even a single Hyrule soldier stood guard. Link had visited the village only a couple times since his return home, with most recent being weeks ago after his birthday party. So he found the lack of activity rather odd. But he and Saria pressed on and entered the village.

In the village, quite a few more buildings stood than when Link first visited during his first adventure. With more and more business coming to Hyrule Castle Town, it was only natural that the small village east of Hyrule Castle would also welcome more visitors. In fact, a small in was built on the northeast side of the village near the giant windmill. A few newer shops and houses stood by the village's northern gate, and a small bar and restaurant stood at the southeast side of the village. Despite its recent growth, Kakariko Village very much felt the same as before: small, quiet, and neighborly.

But when Link and Saria walked past a couple of people mingling about, they only sneered and walked away. It was certainly a welcome uncharacteristic of Kakariko's citizens.

'What's with them?' Link wondered in his mind as he and Saria continued on toward the middle of the village. There, near the lone tree still growing in the village, a few boys were playing with a single cucco, obviously having escaped its pen. But when they saw Link, they quickly backed away.

"Oh no, he's back. Run!" the leader of the boys screamed as they all scattered and ran off.

"What's going on with those boys?" Saria asked, bewildered by their actions.

"I don't know," Link replied. "Maybe they were just playing or something. Or maybe they thought I caught them teasing that poor cucco and ran away."

"So cruel," Saria commented, shaking her head, "They remind me of Mido and his posse, always teasing you and the others."

"I guess so," Link replied, and then thought to himself, 'Yeah, I guess she's right. Maybe they are playing some sort of cruel joke. But somehow... something doesn't feel right.'

Once in the middle of the village, Link and Saria found more people walking about the village. Having finally arrived at their destination, they stood by the tree as Saria looked all around her, taking in the new sights all around her. Saria had never seen houses and buildings like the ones in Kakariko Village before. For her whole life, she had seen nothing but the forest, its animals, and the houses of Kokiri Forest. So needless to say, the village architecture captivated her. And not only that, the village was full of people much taller than both her and Link.

"These people, are they all Hylians just like you?" Saria asked.

"Yes, they are," Link replied.

"So when we grow up, we'll be just as tall as they are, right?" Saria wondered.

"I'm sure we will. I've been tall once before, but that was in a future that'll never happen. Besides, you're a Kokiri. So I'm not sure if you'll grow to be as tall as a Hylian or not... or maybe even taller," said Link.

Saria giggled at that last comment. "I wonder what it'll be like if I do grow up to be taller than you?"

"I don't know. But you've been taller than me for most of my life. So I guess it won't be any different," Link replied.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Saria before changing the subject. "So... what do we do and where do we go now that we're here?"

"Well... that's Death Mountain over there," said Link pointing toward the tall volcano to the north. Saria looked and immediately gasped at the immense presence before her. "My goddesses... it's so huge up close," she commented, nearly speechless. "I... I... I saw it... but... it's so huge. Are we really going up that really huge mountain?"

"Yes, right after we have lunch," Link replied.

"But, it's so huge, it'll be long past midnight by the time we make it up the mountain," said Saria.

"It's okay, the Gorons only live maybe half-way up the mountain," Link reassured. "We should be in Goron City before sundown."

Saria smiled, "I see. So where are we gonna eat?"

"Well, there are a couple of shops on the north side of the village that sell some tasty food. But, I kinda wanna check out that restaurant over there," Link replied.

"Great. Then let's go," Saria said excitedly.

So Link led the way toward the bar and restaurant, with Saria and their fairies trailing close behind. Link had eaten at taverns and restaurants before during his travels, but he was curious of what this new restaurant had to offer. When he saw a woman leaving the restaurant, he decided to satisfy his curiosity before going inside. "Excuse me, miss, but how's the food..."

"Get away from me, you knave," the woman shrieked. She backed away from Link and quickly ran away toward the center of the village, leaving him, Saria, and their fairies all baffled.

"Geez, what's her problem?" Saria wondered, disgusted by the woman's hostile attitude.

"I don't know," Link replied. "I've never met her before. She must be new to the village and doesn't know me. I guess she thought I was part of that posse of mean boys.

"I guess," said Saria, not quite convinced of Link's theory.

"I don't know, Link. Something doesn't feel right," Navi refuted. "The village somehow seems different than our last visit here."

"Different how?" Link wondered.

"Well, I just feel a completely different aura here... something darker. I can't really explain it, but I think that how those kids and that woman reacted to you is no coincidence," Navi explained.

"Yeah, maybe. Let's just go eat so we can go up the mountain," said Link as he continued toward the restaurant with Saria and Spryte close behind. Although he did not show it, Link too felt that something wasn't right about the village and the people living in it. Whatever was wrong with the village, it was going to have to wait until he and Saria checked on the Gorons to make sure they and Goron's Ruby were safe. So he decided to stay only for lunch and then make his way up Death Mountain.

"I can't wait to see and enjoy some of the fresh food from outside the forest... without having it sent to us across Hyrule," said Saria.

"Well, it'll be the first of many times throughout our adventure," said Link as he grasped the restaurant's door handle. "There's great food all over Hyrule."

Link then opened the door and he and Saria, along with their fairies, walked into the restaurant. But the second they had entered, most of the patrons and especially the ones at the bar fell silent and glared at the two youths. Suddenly, an aura of hostility filled the air, grabbing the attention of both youths and their fairies like a slap in the face.

"Uh, Link... I don't like this," Saria commented, reading the rather stern looks on their faces.

"I don't either," Navi added.

"You! You have a lot of nerve coming back here and showing your face in broad daylight while everyone is out," said the bartender.

"We don't want you here. You're not welcome. So get the hell out!" one of the waiters added.

"Suddenly, the whole restaurant went into an uproar as a couple of village residents stood from their bar stools, one of them clenching his fists as if itching for a fight.

"What's with everyone all of a sudden?" Link wondered, shocked by the people's hostile reaction to him.

"I don't know, but let's get outta here," suggested Saria as she turned around and opened the door to make a hasty retreat.

"Right behind you," Link replied as he quickly followed her out the door, having no time to even find out why these people were acting so unusually hateful toward him. "I don't know what's going on here, but it looks like we won't be having lunch here. Let's just go up Death Mountain and make sure the Gorons and the Spiritual Stone are safe before we come back and find out what's going on."

"I agree," said Saria.

So the two young adventurers made their way toward the northern gate leading to Death Mountain. But before they could even take five steps, a large group of people began to gather at the big tree, many of them carrying various crude weapons from planks of wood, to pitchforks, to torches. Every one of them was staring directly at Link with the look of death in their eyes.

"Uh oh, this is **not** good," Link commented.

"I told you something wasn't right," said Navi.

And before Link and Saria could turn to retreat, the mob suddenly charged at them.

"There's the little thief. Get him!" the leader of the mob, one of the burly carpenters who helped build many of the newer buildings, rallied.

"Thief? What are you talking about? I'm no thief," Link pleaded as he and Saria both unconsciously backed away from the advancing mob.

"Liar! You've been raping and pillaging our village for the last week and a half. So don't give us yer rubbish," said the carpenter.

"You make a mess out of my food stands after you steal from them," said another man.

"You spill a lot of my medicine pots. It takes me all morning to clean up the mess you made," said the old woman from the medicine shop.

"You've been teasing my cuccos and scattering all over the village," the normally sweet and mild-mannered Anju accused. "I have to bribe a boy just to get them back every time you show up at night."

"You've been scaring my cows and sending them stampeding through the village," another man accused.

The mob continued advancing, with their collective voices getting louder and louder as they brandished their peasant weapons.

'But... how could have Link done those things? He was...' Saria wondered. And without second thought, before Link could even respond to the accusations, Saria stepped in between him and the angry mob to intervene.

"That's impossible," she argued. "He's been in the forest with me the last week and a half, helping us with our annual festival. There's no way he could've been here to do all those bad things."

"Oh back off, you little wench. You're probably some kinda accomplice of his," the carpenter barked. "We all know he did it, a lot of us saw him." And then, he turned back to Link, "Boy, yer gonna wish you never showed yer face back here again after all the hell you've brought on our village."

By then, Link and Saria had backed themselves against the wall in the hillside. With nowhere else to go, and fearing their adventure would come to a premature end, Saria clutched onto Link and buried her face into his shoulder, not wanting to witness their demise.

'I want to get out of here,' Link thought to himself as he clutched Saria protectively. 'I want to fight back and protect Saria and myself, but... that'll just prove these villagers right. Oh goddesses, what do I do?'

Link cowered down, placing his shield-covered back between the angry mob and the frightened Kokiri girl in his arms as the first few men lunged forward. And as they raised their crude weapons to enact their mob justice, the voice of an older woman suddenly thundered over the roar of the mob. "All of you, stop it right this instant. And stay your weapons."

The mob suddenly silenced at the sound of the rather familiar voice. They all turned around toward the origin of the voice. "How dare you treat a visitor to our village like a common criminal. He's on a long journey, and yet you seek to end it like a pack of rabid wolfos. You're above such unruly acts. All of you should be ashamed."

Link loosened his hold on Saria and stood up. He turned back and looked through the crowd toward the familiar voice. And as they slowly parted, Link saw a rather tall and muscular old woman standing with her arms crossed. She wore a blue, purple, and silver skin-tight leotard and matching blue and purple boots and bracers. She wore her less than shoulder-length silver hair in a short and tight ponytail, with a contrasting gold earring. If her combat-oriented attire alone wasn't intimidating enough, she wore a stern look on her face that had become well-known to all who knew her. Worse than that, she had a raging fire burning in her red eyes... the one distinctive feature of a Sheikah.

"M-Miss...Impa...," the carpenter muttered as he trembled at her rather angry demeanor, knowing all too well not to evoke the wrath of the Royal Family's closest bodyguards. "But...but... this boy... he's the bandit that's been stealing and trashing our village at night for the last week and a half."

Despite the apparent anger in her eyes, Impa only shook her head. "No, you're wrong. I know this boy, and I know him very well. And you should know him too," she said rather calmly. "He's the boy who saved all of Hyrule from Ganondorf over two years ago. He's traveled the world, helping out other kingdoms in need of a hero. So he would **never** vandalize and steal from our village. Plus, he's also a very close friend of our dear princess. How do you think she'd feel if she hears that you wrongly accused her friend and killed him for it?"

Impa then lowered her arms and proceeded to walk right through the crowd, with the people backing away to make a path. Once through the crowd, she approached Link and asked, "Are you okay, Link?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Link replied. "I haven't been here in a little over a couple weeks, and everyone suddenly becomes so hostile."

"Yes, I know. We'll get to the bottom of this. I assure you," said Impa.

Meanwhile, Saria too had stood up and seen Impa through the crowd of people. And as the old Sheikah approached her and Link, a strange sensation struck her like a bolt of lightning. 'What? What is this I feel all of a sudden?' she thought to herself. 'I feel a strange aura coming from her, like she's a woman with strong powers, like some kind of wizard from a fairytale or something.'

And as the old Sheikah and Link began talking, Saria pondered the strange aura coming from her. 'Now that I think about it, this feeling seems very familiar, like I've felt it before,' she thought to herself. And then, it hit her, 'Yes, that's it. I felt this just a couple days ago... with Princess Ruto. Could she be...?'

Once assured that Link was okay, Impa turned her attention to the young green-haired accompanying him. "I see you've brought a friend with you this time, and **she** has a fairy just like you do," she observed.

"Yes, she's a Kokiri girl from the same forest that I'm from," said Link as he began to introduce them. "Impa, this is Saria. She's my best friend in the whole world. Saria, this is Impa. She's Princess Zelda's attendant and one of the Sheikah, the shadow warriors sworn to protect the Royal Family."

"Ahhh. And I see she's a very pretty young lady too," said Impa, drawing a bashful blush from Saria. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Saria. Any friend of Link's is a friend of mine."

"I'm pleased to meet you too," the flushed Saria replied, bowing politely to the Princess's attendant. But, still sensing that familiar aura, she thought to herself, 'But... there are so many people around. I'm sure they don't know. So I think I'd better ask her later.'

"So now we need to get to the bottom of what's going on in this village, and why its people think you've been pillaging their homes and shops," Impa said to where everyone could hear her. She then turned and stared at each and every one of them, demanding an explanation with just the stern look on her face alone.

"Well... like we said, someone's been causing trouble in our village at night and stealing from and wrecking our shops," an older woman explained.

"And he looks just like that boy over there," the carpenter added. "I saw him myself with my own two eyes."

"But he couldn't have," Saria argued. "Link hasn't left the forest in over a week and a half. He's been in the forest with me and all the other Kokiri, helping us plan and set up our annual Summer Festival."

"And I'm always with him," Navi added. "I would've known if he had suddenly left the forest."

"Did any of you get a really good look at the perpetrator? Did any of you notice any details, like what color he wore, what color his skin was, or even looked into his eyes?" Impa inquired.

"Well... no. It was dark," a village man replied.

"Yeah, I couldn't tell either," a woman added. "All I know is that he wore a tunic and pointed hat just like his."

Link immediately stepped forward next to Impa and asked, "Did this guy have a fairy with him?"

"Umm... no. I don't think he did," Anju replied.

"I haven't even seen any fairies at night, let alone with that bandit," a man added.

"Then it looks like we have someone evil impersonating Link and attacking this village at night," Impa concluded.

"But who? And why would they want to make Link look like a bad guy?" Saria wondered.

"I don't know. But we need to find out who and stop them... and now," said Link.

"But what about the Gorons?" Saria asked. "You're so worried about them after what happened to us and the Zoras."

"I know. I want to make sure that they're okay. But someone's attacking Kakariko Village. I can't just pass through here knowing that something is wrong and that they need help," said Link.

Saria could only crack a wee smile, "I understand."

"So how are you going to find this impostor?" Spryte wondered.

"He could be anybody... or anything," Navi added.

"Well, the villagers said he's been attacking almost every night, right? I think we should just stay the night here and wait for him to come here," suggested Link.

"That would be a good way to find him," said Saria.

"Yes, waiting someplace where you know he's going to attack," Navi added.

"Then it's settled. Link, you and Saria are more than welcome to spend the night at the end. I'll stay awake and keep an eye out for the impostor. As for everyone else in the village...," said Impa, turning right back to the villagers with a demanding look on her face. "Link and Saria are our honored guests, and you will all treat them the same as you've always treated guests. That boy is a hero, and he's going to prove it to all of you. I had better not hear about anyone else judging him a thief."

"Great, I'm hungry," said Link.

"Me too," said Saria. "Why don't we try that restaurant out again now that the people know we're innocent?"

"Sounds good to me," said Link. As Saria made her way toward the restaurant door, Link turned to Impa, "Thanks, Impa. You really saved us there."

"You're welcome, young Link. You are innocent, after all," said Impa. "Why don't you go and have lunch with your lovely friend and I'll take care of your rooms at the inn."

"I will," Link replied before he turned and joined Saria for a wonderful lunch at the village's restaurant.

'That boy, he's so grown up after such long and dangerous adventures. And yet, he's still very much a child at heart,' Impa thought to herself as she sighed. 'Enjoy your youth whenever you can, Link. You're growing up so fast in so many ways. You won't be a kid for very much longer.'

_That night, Kakariko Village Inn..._

After spending much of the rest of the rest of the day at the village, mostly with Impa, Link and Saria checked in at the in about an hour after sundown.

"Ah, you're the two forest children that Miss Impa told me about," said the young male innkeeper. He turned around and grabbed a pair of slightly different skeleton keys from a large key rack mounted on the wall behind the counter. Then, he turned back to the two forest youths. "Here, I have the keys to your rooms. They're on the third floor on the north side of the inn, right next door to each other. Don't worry about paying me. Miss Impa's already paid for your rooms. So just enjoy your stay. I hope you get that bandit," he said as he handed Link and Saria their keys.

"Thank you," Link and Saria replied in unison as they took their keys. With keys in hand, they scurried up the flights of stairs like a couple excited kids in a playground all the way to the third floor. But when they reached the doors to their adjacent rooms, Saria stopped and turned to Link. "Well, Link, thank you for the wonderful meals at that restaurant. And... thank you for watching over me and protecting me from that angry mob of villagers," said Saria, smiling warmly.

"You're welcome, Saria. And thank you for coming with me and being with me on this journey," said Link.

"So we're already going to sleep for the night, huh?" Saria wondered. Although the Kokiri usually retired to their houses shortly after dusk with the exception of the occasional few that liked being outside at night, they usually didn't go to bed for at least a couple hours. So turning in so soon after sundown made Saria wonder.

"Yeah. That impostor could show up any time tonight, and Impa will wake us when she does. So we're gonna need our rest. That is... if he shows up tonight," said Link.

Saria noticed the gloomy look on Link's face as he explained. "You look like you're worried about him **not** showing up tonight," she said, to which Link only replied with a frown. "It's the Gorons, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I've sensed it since the Great Deku Sprout summoned me," Link replied. "Twinrova attacked our home and Ruto's home, both for our Spiritual Stones, and I'm afraid that they've attacked the Gorons too. I want to help them, and now. But, this village is in trouble too. I can't just let this impostor attack the village just to go see the Gorons."

Saria sadly sighed at Link's dilemma, "We're all your adventures like this, somebody needed help and then all of a sudden someone else needed help too?"

"Yes, all the time," Link replied. "I can't be in two places at once, but it always seems like I have to be. At least in Termina, I could go back in time three days and sort of be in two places."

"I see, It must be hard being a hero," said Saria. Then, she looked back up at Link and smiled. "But, we'll go see the Gorons after tonight. If the impostor doesn't show tonight, couldn't we just go up the mountain, see the Gorons, and come back before sundown?"

"I guess... we could try," said Link, somewhat hesitant with his response. "I just hope I'm wrong and everything's okay up there."

"Me too, Link. Me too. But we'll just have to see when we get there, won't we," said Saria. "Go get you some sleep. You'll need your rest in case Impa wakes us, and I know what kind of sleepyhead you are."

Link finally cracked a smile, "Hey now. I'm getting better at waking up. Tell her, Navi."

Saria giggled. "Good night, Link. Pleasant dreams," she said before stepping up to him and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"You too, Saria. Good night," said Link before the two forest children parted and slipped their keys into the locks. Then, they caught once quick glance at each other before retiring to their rooms for the night.

_Hours later..._

"Link? Hey Link, wake up," the low voice of a woman spoke in Link's dream. Link thought nothing of it, completely immersed in the wonderful dream he was having. But when a sensation of being lightly shaken accompanied the woman's voice, Link immediately woke from his dream. When he opened his eyes, he found the ever-so-stern look on Impa's face under the dim glow of his night lamp greeting him.

"Link, grab your sword and shield now. Someone just broke into the item shop," Impa urgently ordered. "I'll go wake Saria."

Right when Impa mentioned the village being burglarized, Link shot up to a sitting position and threw his sheets off of him. "Navi, wake up. The impostor's here," he announced as Impa left his room.

"Mmm... okay dear, I'm up," Navi groaned, pushing herself up from the small sofa pillow sitting on the nightstand.

Link quickly stood up from his bed and slipped into his boots. Since he was expecting Impa to wake him up in the middle of the night, he had slept in his green tunic and most of his outfit. So all he had to do was strap on his sword and shield, grab his item bag, and grab his green pointed hat, and he was ready. "Come on, Navi. Let's go," said Link as he fast-walked to the door.

"Right," Navi replied as she bolted up from her pillow bed and flew off after Link.

Outside the inn, while awaiting Saria and Impa, Link glanced about the darkened village. With a few clouds covering the nearly first quarter moon, finding the impostor by sight proved to be very difficult. And the nighttime sounds of crickets and frogs made listening for him just as hard.

"Do you think he's still at the item shop?" Navi whispered.

"Probably," Link replied with a whisper, "I'm sure Impa woke us up quick enough. If not, then he's gotta be somewhere close by."

Seconds later, Impa and Saria came outside and joined Link and Navi. "Do you see him yet?" Impa whispered.

"Not yet. He's gotta be close, I just know it," Link replied.

And then, almost right after Link finished that sentence, a shadowy figure emerged from the market area and slowly crept his way southward toward the center of town.

"Link, there he is," Impa whispered, pointing right at the shadowy figure. Just like the villagers had described, he appeared to be dressed in a tunic and pointed hat similar to Link's. But, that was all she could see.

"I know. I see him," Link replied as he slipped his right hand into his item bag. "Saria, hand me one of those big turnips you got at the vegetable stand."

"Sure, Link. But why do you need it?" Saria wondered as Link extracted his bow and an arrow from his item sack. When she grabbed a turnip from the bag on her right hip, Link took his arrow and jammed the arrowhead into it and took it from her hands. Saria gasped in shock at what Link was doing.

"I just want to find out who he is before we stop him," said Link as he knocked the veggie-tipped arrow. "It's a trick I learned in the future when I snuck into Gerudo Fortress and rescued the carpenters from the Gerudos.

"I see," said Saria.

"Impa, watch over Saria for me, okay?" said Link. He then ducked low and quietly made his way toward the shadowy impostor as he headed toward Anju's house and cucco pen. Link quickly found an opening, stood tall, and drew the bowstring. And in a split second, he released and sent the heavy veggie-tipped arrow flying toward the impostor. His flew true as the large turnip struck the impostor in the back of the head and knocked him to the ground.

With the impostor stunned, Link put his bow away, drew his sword, and grabbed his shield. He then ran toward the stunned foe with Navi following close behind. But as he closed in, the impostor suddenly rolled over onto his back and leaped to his feet. It was then that Link and Navi saw the character wearing a dark bluish-black tunic and matching pointed hat, with charcoal skin and bright red eyes.

Link gasped as he immediately recognized the impostor. "Son of a wolfos!"

"It's Dark Link," Navi gasped.

Dark Link quickly drew his sword, grabbed his shield, and charged at Link. Link gripped his sword tightly and rushed to face his darker self head on. Dark Link swung first with a deeper "Hyaah" than Link's.

Link parried Dark Link's attack and countered with a spin attack, only to strike Dark Link's shield.

Meanwhile, as the two warriors clashed swords and shields, Impa and Saria watched on from a safe distance.

"Dark Link? Is that really the evil Link that Link told us about when he first came home?" Saria wondered.

"It sure looks like it," Spryte replied.

"Now I can see why the villagers thought that he really was Link," said Impa. "He looks just like Link except for the darker skin and clothes. Anyone could've mistaken him for Link at night."

"But... Link said that this evil Link was the toughest opponent he's ever fought," said Saria as Dark Link started pushing Link back with his constant barrage of sword swings. "I'm... I'm kind of afraid for him."

"Don't be, Saria. Link's fought him before and won, remember? He told us all about it. I'm sure he'll win this fight too," Spryte reassured.

Link quickly rolled out of the way of Dark Link's spin attack and leaped in the air. He slashed downward at his darker self, only to have Dark Link block it with his sword and push him back. Then, Link quickly lunged at Dark Link, but his light-footed foe jumped right on top of his outreached sword and slashed right at Link's face.

Link acted quickly and threw his shield in front of his face, blocking Dark Link's attack, and pushed his opponent off of his sword. With his sword freed, Link leaped into the air. And with a loud "Hyaah", Link thrust his modified Kokiri Sword at Dark Link's chest. But Dark Link reacted quickly and blocked the descending thrust with his shield and countered with a slash at Link's side.

Link caught Dark Link's sword with his Hylian Shield. And with their swords and shields locked together, Link and Dark Link pushed against each other, desperately trying to overpower each other.

As Link and Dark Link fought each other, the noise from their shouting and sword clashing grabbed the attention of a number of the villagers. They had woken up, grabbed their lanterns, and gathered around the middle of the village. There, they found the hero in green clashing swords with the very bandit who had pillaged their homes and shops.

Dark Link charged at Link, swinging his sword furiously and pushing him back toward some of the villagers. Link finally threw his shield in front of him and absorbed Dark Link's sword blows before he could stumble into the onlookers. He then bashed his darker self with his shield, causing the doppelganger to stagger backward. He gripped his sword tightly and swung at his foe.

Dark Link recovered quickly and parried Link's attack, countering with a thrust. And like a master fencer, Link stepped back and deflected Dark Link's thrust. Link then slashed a few times, only to strike Dark Link's sword every time. Dark Link stepped forward, and with a deep and resonant "Hyaah", he swung his sword at Link furiously, striking his sword with enough force to jar Link's very bones.

Despite the more than uneasy feelings, Link blocked each and every one of Dark Link's hard and heavy sword swings with everything he had. Then suddenly, Dark Link lunged at Link with his shield, causing the unfortunate hero to stagger backward. And before Link could even react, Dark Link struck Link's blade near the hilt, knocking it upward and back, right out of Link's hand. Having effectively disarmed Link, Dark Link and shield bashed him to the ground, causing Link to drop his shield in the process.

Everyone gasped as they saw their hero in serious trouble, especially Saria. "Oh no, Link," she gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.

After Link hit the ground, he grabbed his Longshot grappling hook from his item bag and fired it at Dark Link, hoping to catch him by surprise. But Dark Link proved to be to quick and easily deflected the spring-loaded hook to the side and ran up to the Hero of Time.

"Oh goddesses, no," Saria gasped. She covered her eyes and buried her face against Impa's side as Dark Link raised his sword to deliver the final blow. But right before Dark Link could swing his blade, Link reached into his item bag. He then covered his eyes with his right arm and threw a Deku Nut right at Dark Link's face.

The flash of light from the Deku Nut blinded Dark Link, causing him to stumble backward. This gave Link the chance he needed. He flipped onto his hands and knees and quickly crawled over to his sword. When he retrieved it, he jumped to his feet and charged at the stunned Dark Link head on. He charged his sword with energies granted to him by a Great Fairy long ago and did a leaping spin attack.

Dark Link finally recovered from the Deku Nut blast and threw his sword in the way of Link's furious spin attack. Although he managed to block Link's sword, the energy from the attack struck him on the left arm and chest, knocking him to the ground and inflicting his stricken body parts with numbness.

Unable to continue the fight, Dark Link stood up and sheathed his sword. Then, he took off running toward the western gate with Link in hot pursuit. Once halfway there with Link gaining on him, Dark Link grabbed a flash and smoke bomb in his right hand and tossed it between them.

The combination of the bright flash and smoke, similar to what Impa and Sheik have used to make their exits, blinded Link and Navi both. And when the smoke cleared seconds later, Dark Link was no where to be found. So with Dark Link having escaped, Link sheathed his sword and placed his shield back on his back.

"Looks like he's gone now," said Navi.

"Yeah," Link replied. "I just can't believe he's back. I mean... I just defeated him a little over a couple months ago, and so far away from Hyrule too. I thought I killed him. You were there."

"I know, dear. I'm just as surprised to see him again as you are," said Navi. "But look at the bright side. You've beaten him for now. So in the morning, we all can go up Death Mountain and see the Gorons without having to worry about this village."

"You're right, Navi. I just hope the Gorons didn't fall to the same fate that we and the Zoras almost did," said Link.

"Me too," Navi replied as she and Link made their way back to where Impa and Saria were waiting, getting cheers from the people who witnessed the fight along the way. "At least you saved Kakariko Village and proved your innocence."

"Right," Link agreed.

"Link, you did it," Saria squealed for joy as she ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "I was so worried about you."

"It's okay, Saria. I fight tough battles like these all the time," said Link, returning Saria's embrace.

"But, wasn't that evil Link your toughest fight ever when you saved Navi from him?" Saria asked as she tightened her hold on Link.

"Yes... he was... and still is," Link replied. "But... at least I beat him."

"And the impostor is gone now," Impa added as she approached the forest children. "I don't think he'll be bothering this village very much anymore, especially since now the people know the difference between you and him."

"Well, tough battles or not, you're still a hero, Link," said Saria as she let go of Link, smiling.

"Why don't you kids get some rest," suggested Impa. "I know you have along journey ahead. Let me take care of the villagers, okay?"

"Okay, Impa," Link replied. "Thank you so much... for everything."

Link and Navi went on ahead to the inn, while Saria and Spryte stayed behind with Impa. "Umm... Miss Impa?" said Saria.

"Yes, young Saria? Shouldn't you be scurrying back to your room for the night?" Impa replied.

"Well, yes, but... I was going to ask you earlier but all the villagers were still around. And now that the villagers are going back to their homes...," said Saria.

"What's on your mind, young one?" Impa asked.

"Well, you... you're a Sage too, aren't you," said Saria, meeting Impa's eyes with hers. "I can sense the power within you."

"Yes... I'm the Sage of Shadow," Impa replied. "And you must be the Forest Sage."

"Yes I am. It's the reason why I can leave the forest and be with Link when the other Kokiri children can't," said Saria.

"Well, Link has a wonderful and powerful friend in you to be accompanying him on his journey," said Impa.

"Thank you, Miss Impa. I just... couldn't just stand by and do nothing while Link keeps leaving on his adventures, worrying about when or **if** he';; ever come back home," said Saria.

"I know what you mean. I care a lot about the Princess the same way you seem to care about Link. I worry about her sometimes too," said Impa. "You go on to bed and get some rest, okay?"

"Yes... I will," a sleepy-sounding Saria replied. So she and Spryte turned and made their way back to the inn for the night.

'That girl... she must really care so much for Link to go through so much for him,' Impa thought to herself. 'So grown up she is, yet still so young, just like the Princess.'

_Less than an hour later..._

Without having to worry about Dark Link showing up again and Impa waking him again, Link had unpacked his green and white stripped pajamas and changed into them.

Navi was already fast asleep on her sofa pillow bed, and the lantern was already dimmed. And just as Link was about to slip into the dreaming world, a light knock sounded at his door.

Link opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. "Yes? Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me," Saria's soft voice sounded through the door.

"Oh, come on in," Link invited.

The door opened, and the light from a lantern peeked inside. Then, Saria stepped inside, wearing only a light green sleeveless silky nightgown. The hem of her gown stopped halfway down her shins, and had white lace all around it.

"Wow, Saria. I've never seen you in your pajamas before," said Link, astonished by Saria's nighttime appearance.

Saria lightly giggled, careful as not to wake Navi. "I don't think any of the boys have seen any of the girls in their pajamas," said Saria.

"Well, it looks nice on you," said Link, smiling.

"Thanks. It's just what I sleep in, and it's comfortable," said Saria. "I also have a silky long-sleeve shirt and matching pants, as well as a set of flannel pajamas that I wear when it gets cold in the winter."

"Well, I just have a couple pairs of these," said Link, referring to his green and white stripped pajamas. "So why aren't you in bed?"

"Can't sleep," Saria replied.

"But didn't you sleep earlier?" Link asked.

"Yes... before Impa woke us up when that evil Link showed up," said Saria as she dimmed her lantern. She then set it down on the nightstand and sat down on the bed next to Link. "I know this will be a dangerous journey, and you're bound to end up in all kinds of battles, but even when I'm here with you, I still think about you and... and I still worry about you."

Link gently wrapped his arms around Saria's waist and leaned her back against his chest. "Well... this is your first time outside the forest," he said. "Besides, you're with me now, so you don't have to worry about me as much, or wonder when I'll write to you, or when I'll come home. You don't even have to wonder when you'll see me again. All you have to do is open your eyes, and I'm right here."

"Mmhmm," said Saria as she closed her eyes and snuggled into Link's embrace.

"I'm glad you came with me on this journey," said Link as he squeezed her affectionately. "I always miss you when I'm away for a long time. Now, I have you with me, and I can still see you everyday."

"Me too," said Saria. "I'm glad to be here with you too."

"Now why don't you go back to bed. You'll need your sleep. We're leaving for Death Mountain in the morning," said Link.

"Mm-mmm, I like it here," said Saria, shaking her head and snuggling in more.

"But people might say something if they find us like this," said Link.

"So? We're not in the forest right now," said Saria.

"Yeah, that's true. But you're a girl, and I'm a boy, and we're still kids. Some of the people in Hyrule may think we're too young to be in each other's arms like this," said Link.

"Yeah, but I'm not too young to really like you... and love you," said Saria. "I'm not too young to want to see you and be with you and be in your arms. You're 13 now, and I look about the same age, and we're both growing up. I don't thing that many people are gonna look at us funny for being in each other's arms."

"Now that I think about it...," said Link as memories of Anju and Kafei back in Termina entered his mind. "... No one ever thought of any of the other couples I've seen in my travels as weird. One couple I saw wasn't that much older than us."

"See? So just hold me," said Saria as she smiled, closed her eyes, and let out a dreamy sigh. "I love you, Link. And I always want to be with you."

"I love you too, Saria. We'll get through this tough adventure together. And then maybe I can show you the big world outside of Hyrule," said Link. "We'll see many wonderful places, meet interesting people, and always play together. It'll be so wonderful."

"Mmhmm," Saria replied. "Go to sleep, Link. You need it more than I do."

Link smiled at the pretty Kokiri girl in his arms. "Yes... I'll do that. Good night, Saria," he said as he slowly leaned against the wall, not letting go of Saria.

"Good night... my hero," Saria whispered.

And there, the two forest children entered the dreaming world... together.

_end of chapter 14  
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First we have a feral wolfos, then some rogue moblins, then we have Twinrova, and now we have Dark Link. The battles just keep coming, and will continue to now that Link is on a big adventure to once again save Hyrule. We all know Dark Link is one of Link's toughest opponents, as he is every bit Link's mirror. I actually had Dark Link planned as an antagonist in the story to go along with Twinrova. So you can be sure he'll be back to cause Link all kinds of problems. And of course, I include enough Link/Saria squishiness to go around.

This chapter was actually much easier to write and edit than my last chapter, which was a relief after my month and a half hiatus from writing. I'm already about a quarter, maybe a third, of the way finished with Chapter 15 by the time I post this chapter. I will safely say now that I know exactly where I want this story to go, all the way to the end. I just take it one chapter at a time, that's all. I thank everyone for reading and reviewing, and for being patient during my hiatus. I also appreciate all the messages that you have sent me, wondering if everything was okay. I assure you, I will not stop writing this story _(despite any times off I take from writing)_ until I finish it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because Link's and Saria's adventure is only beginning. Any and all reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun Zelda fans,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	16. Chapter 15: Up, Up, Up The Mountain

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 15

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Last chapter was so awesome. Link and Saria are just getting started on their first adventure together and are already seeing quite a bit of action, as well as a few squishy moments here and there. This is an action/adventure _**romance**_, after all. So what lies ahead for the young couple from Kokiri Forest? Read and find out.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 15: Up, Up, Up The Mountain

After such a harsh duel with his darker self in the middle of the night, Link certainly needed some rest. And he was getting plenty of that as he lied there in the bed of his room at the Kakariko Village Inn. In his arms lied a pretty young green-haired girl wearing a silky green night gown, with a warm and contended smile on her face. Sometime in the middle of the night, the two forest children ended up falling gently onto the bed from their comfortable sitting position, looking like a pair of puppies snuggling for warmth.

Although the Hylians of Kakariko Village, or anywhere else around or outside of Hyrule, would think little of a pair of young teens snuggled so innocently together, the children of Kokiri Forest would think of it as revolting and make fun of them for it. But, that's only because they're boy and girl, and it's just the two of them. There have been occasions in Kokiri Forest, especially after nights of festival and dance, where the children fell asleep under the stars. It didn't matter if they were boys or girls. They just fell asleep all snuggled up against the Great Deku Tree or Great Deku Sprout and each other like a litter of puppies. So an innocent cuddle like this didn't feel so strange to Link and Saria. And their love and desire to be together only made it that much more comforting.

So there the two forest children slept, oblivious to all else. The sun, having risen just a couple of hours ago, and even the crows of Anju's many cuccos failed to wake the youths. They just lied there, completely serene in their separate dreams. Navi, however, had taken enough of not only Link sleeping in well past sunrise, but also letting his bad habit rub off on Saria. She let out a discontented sigh.

"I know you needed your rest after that fight with Dark Link," she muttered to herself as she grabbed the small pillow that had served as her bed last night and lifted it in the air almost effortlessly. "But... you've slept long enough. We need to go check on the Gorons like the Great Deku Sprout asked us to do... like **you** wanted to do."

"Do you really have to go that far just to wake him up?" Spryte wondered, astonished by Navi's method of waking Link. "Couldn't you just yell it like most of us do?"

"Well... I could, but would it **really** wake a sleepyhead like Link up?" Navi replied.

"Oh... I see. You've got a point," said Spryte.

So Navi hovered over to near Link's face and gripped the small sofa pillow tightly. "Hey Link, time to wake up," Navi announced. She waited for a few seconds to see if Link would respond to her reveille. When not only Link, but also Saria didn't even so much as twitch, Navi swung the pillow hard and connected with Link's tranquil face. "Hey! Get up, sleepyhead," she barked, hitting him on the face repeatedly.

"Stop it! Okay, okay, I'm up. I'm up," Link protested, swatting at Navi's pillow like it was a house fly.

"Yeah, Navi," Saria groaned, having also been awakened by Navi's thrashing of Link with her pillow.

When Navi stopped, Link opened his eyes, finding his best friend still in his arms with her back against his chest. "Well good morning, Saria," he greeted.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Saria replied.

"Sleepyhead? You were asleep too," Link playfully teased.

"What, I couldn't help it, being so comfortable in my best friend's arms," said Saria.

"Alright, you two, enough... time to get up, get some breakfast, and go up Death Mountain to see the Gorons," said Navi.

Link let go of Saria and sat up in his bed, while Saria slid her legs over the side of the bed and let her feet drop to the floor. "So how'd you sleep, Saria?" he asked.

"It was wonderful," Saria replied. "And you?"

"Great. I was having this wonderful dream before I was so rudely awakened," said Link, glaring at Navi as he mentioned her waking him.

"Hey, it was either that or let you sleep in 'til midday and not make it to Goron City until nearly sundown," Navi explained.

Saria giggled at the bickering boy and fairy. "Wonderful dream, huh? Was I in it?" she teased.

Link smiled and replied, "You betcha. And what makes it an even better dream is that when I wake up, there you are."

Saria's face quickly flushed. She covered her face with her hands and giggled. "Now stop it, Link. You're making me blush and feel all giddy."

"Come on, Saria. Let's go back to your room and get changed," said Spryte as she fluttered toward the door. "You aren't going to go out in your pajamas, are you?"

"No, of course not," Saria replied, taking a deep breath and regaining her composure. "Okay, let's go. See 'ya, Link."

Saria walked toward the door right behind Spryte. She promptly opened the door and walked into the hallway, closing the door behind her. But right as the door latched, a woman's voice greeted her, "Well good morning, Saria."

Saria jumped at the sudden sound of the woman's voice. If being startled by it wasn't bad enough, when she turned to find Impa almost towering over her with her usual stern look on her face, she nearly jumped out of her skin and yelped. 'Uh-oh... I'm caught!' she thought to herself as her heart skipped a beat and began pulsating rapidly.

"Oh... umm... g-good morning, Miss Impa. I was just... uh... waking Link up. Yeah, that's it. You know how much of a sleepyhead that boy is," Saria explained, hiding her embarrassment with a subtle laughter. "Well, I need to get dressed so we can get going. Bye, Miss Impa." Saria then spun on her heel and quickly scurried back to her room, leaving both Impa and Spryte bewildered.

'Humph, liar. You were the one who wasn't nervous about being in Link's room for the night,' Spryte thought to herself as she crossed her arms and shook her head. She then let out a sigh, 'Oh well. I guess you're still not ready to let your love for Link to be made known, outside the forest or not.'

"She sure seemed awfully jittery," said Impa, breaking the short silence.

"Well... you did startle her. I would be startled too if you suddenly appeared and spoke from out of nowhere," said Spryte, covering for her beloved Kokiri child.

"I see. Well, since she and Link are awake, I won't need to wake them. So I'd better go back outside. Tell Saria I'm sorry for startling her," said Impa. She turned and walked back down the hall toward the stairs, leaving the fluttering green fairy to her thoughts.

_Outside, a half-hour later_

After getting dressed and packed up, turning their keys in to the innkeeper, and having their breakfast at the inn's dining room, Link and Saria walked outside and took in a huge breath of the fresh mid-morning air.

"Well Saria, are you ready to go hiking up the mountain and see the Gorons?" Link asked.

"Am I ever," Saria happily replied.

"Link?" Impa's voice called out just as he and Saria were about to make their way out of the village. They both stopped and turned toward the voice to find Impa approaching them, accompanied by the very same carpenter who had led the angry mob the day before.

"This carpenter here was looking for you, saying that he had something to say," said Impa.

The burly carpenter then slowly and nervously walked up to Link, completely different from his bold and aggressive demeanor from yesterday. "Umm... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry fer yesterday," he nervously said, bowing deeply and politely to him. "I didn't know you were the hero who saved all of Hyrule. And... thank you fer stoppin' that bandit."

"It's okay, I accept your apology," said Link, smiling at the carpenter. "You and your carpenter friends sure did a good job on this village."

"Thank you, Sir Link," said the carpenter, bowing politely again. "I need to be gettin' back to work. You and yer friend are welcome to stop by anytime." He then turned and made his way toward the market section, leaving Impa to the youths.

"I must be going too. I need to be back at the castle. I'll let the Princess know what's been going on," said Impa.

"Okay. Bye Impa. Thank you for everything," said Link.

But just as Impa turned to leave the village, Anju approached the two forest children. She wore her usual white medium-sleeved shirt, brown vest, cream sash, blue skirt with white designs, and brown low-heeled pumps. However, only a slight frown complimented the young red-haired, blue-eyed girl's face.

"What's wrong, Miss Anju?" Link wondered.

"Oh... it's just... I...," Anju stuttered.

"Did that imposter chase your cuccos last night?" Link guessed.

Anju shook her head. "No, it's not that. They're all fine. It's just...," she replied, and then hesitated. Unable to come up with the words, she walked up to Link, looking into his blue eyes. She then dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Link, pressing her cheek against his chest and embracing him tightly. "I'm so sorry, Link," Anju gasped. "I'm so sorry that I thought you were that bandit. You've always helped me out with my cuccos every time you've visited. I just... am so mad at myself for forgetting about all of that and accusing you of being that bandit."

Link wrapped his arms around Anju's shoulders and returned her hug. "It's okay, Miss Anju. Anyone would've thought that he was me. You weren't the only one," said Link.

Saria, though sympathetic for Anju, couldn't help but feel a little jealous of this grown Hylian girl hugging Link so tightly. It was the same hint of jealousy she felt when she first saw Princess Ruto hugging Link. But, she easily gave in to reason and smiled at Anju's friendly and apologetic gesture. "Okay, you two, enough of that already. We need to get going if we're going to make it up this mountain well before sundown."

Anju and Link quickly let go, with Link blushing from Saria's teasing. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hold you up," said Anju as she stood back up. "I just wanted to apologize, that's all."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure Link and I will be back after we see the Gorons," said Saria.

"Well, you sweet kids are more than welcome anytime. I just hope my cuccos don't break loose again," said Anju, giggling at her last sentence. "I'll see you two when you get back."

"Okay. See 'ya, Miss Anju," said Link. And without any more villagers to slow them down, Link and Saria made their way through the village and toward the northern gate.

"I see you've made all kinds of friends in just this village alone," said Saria. "It's funny how they thought that evil Link was you."

"Well, not **that** many friends," said Link.

"Oh I don't know, that Anju girl seemed pretty friendly with you," Saria teased with a mischievous smirk.

"Oh, her," said Link, blushing slightly. "Well, I do end up helping her with rounding up her cuccos every time I visit this village. So I've seen her more than anyone else here. I guess you could say that she's a friend."

"I see. But what's with her and her cuccos? Is she always having trouble with them?" Saria wondered.

"She has a lot of cuccos, and they're always somehow getting loose in the village," Link explained. "But she's allergic to them and gets goose bumps from them when she touches them. That's why she has either me or one of the village kids run around the village to catch them... or at least chase them back into their pen."

"But if the gets goose bumps from them, why does she keep them?" Saria skeptically inquired.

"I don't know, I never asked her," Link replied. "I guess she's just a young lady who really likes cuccos, that's all."

"Well... they are cute little fat birds, even if they're noisy and smell funny," said Saria as both youths giggled.

Soon, Link and Saria approached the village's northern gate. The northern gate was much different than the western gate that welcomed visitors to the village. Although it was carved into another hill just like the western gate, it had a heavy wrought iron bar gate that slid open and locked shut instead of a simple log wall. It seemed to be used more for keeping casual travelers off the treacherous trails of Death Mountain rather than keeping out potential invaders. A lone Hyrule soldier stood guard at the gate, acting more as a gatekeeper than a town guard.

"Good morning, kids," the guard greeted. "Miss Impa told me you were on your way up the mountain to see the Gorons, and that it was an urgent mission."

"Yes we are," Link acknowledged.

"Well, since you saved the village, and Miss Impa told me to, I'll go ahead and let you pass," said the guard as he operated a switch to open the gate. "Do be careful on the mountain. There have been a lot of rock falls and landslides in the last few days."

"We will. Thanks a lot," said Link as he and Saria walked through the gate before it even finished sliding open and continued on their way. They then picked up their pace down the long bare path along the foot of the mountain. With much of the south side of the mountain consisting of nearly vertical cliffs at its foot, travelers who wished to hike up its slopes had to walk a flat path westward for quite some distance before reaching the first slope.

So after a while of jogging and walking the flat path, Link and Saria finally made it to a break in the cliffs. They turned and began trekking up the mild slope up the foot of the mountain. This was the first slope up the mountain, and also the shallowest. The entrance to Dodongo's Cavern stood at the end of this slope. It was a cave that contained not only the best rocks for the Gorons to eat, but also a small population of prehistoric Dodongo monsters. Outside of a number of large rocks and spires narrowing the paths and a number of large four-legged Tektite spiders living there, this slope made for an easy climb.

Saria grabbed her slingshot, loaded it with a rock-hard Deku seed, and easily dispatched the first Tektite before it could even jump at them.

"Nice shot, Saria," Link complimented.

"Thanks, Link," Saria replied. "That was actually my first moving target I hit."

"I see. Well, these guys do jump all over the place like angry frogs. When I first came up this mountain, I had to wait for them to get close to me to kill them with my sword, or just forget about waiting and shoot them with my slingshot. After fighting off all those monsters inside the Great Deku Tree, shooting Tektites with my slingshot was easy," Link explained.

"Great! Then maybe I'll use these guys for target practice too," Saria said with a mischievous grin.

"You'll get plenty of that. There are Tektites all the way up this mountain," said Link.

So Link led the way up the shallow slope. Saria stayed close behind, with her slingshot in her right hand and a Deku seed in her left, ready to slay another Tektite. And during the rest of their trip up the first slope, Saria easily dispatched another seven Tektites while Link distracted them. They soon arrived at Dodongo's Cavern where the path flattened.

"Wow, is that really a cave?" Saria asked.

"Yep. That's Dodongo's Cavern," Link replied. "I had to fight off a lot of Dodongos that Ganondorf had released here when he tried to steal the Spiritual Stone from the Gorons during my first adventure."

"I see," Saria replied. "Are there caves like this all over this mountain?"

"Yes, lots. Most of them are small, but this one, Goron City, and the Fire Temple are the biggest ones," Link explained.

"Well, let's keep going. I want to see more of this mountain and shoot some more of those Tektites," suggested Saria, with a mischievous grin.

So Link led the way up the second slope of the mountain with Saria and their fairies in tow. The second slope presented more of a challenge to any hikers. The slope was not only rougher with more twists, turns, and rocks, but was also steeper than the first slope. Although Link had few problems hiking up such steep slopes, he had to remember that he had Saria with him, someone who has never even seen a mountain before, much less hiked up a steep slope. So he took it easy going up this more treacherous path.

Outside of dodging a few rolling rocks and Saria shooting a few more Tektites, their ascent up the second slope was largely uneventful. The slope flattened out to a large opening, with the third slope at the end just around the corner. This opening not only provided a good resting place for hikers, but also had a wonderful view of the village below. Saria gasped.

"Wow, is that really Kakariko Village all the way down there?" she asked as she gazed over the ledge.

"It sure is," Link replied, smiling at the astonished Kokiri girl.

"It looks so tiny from up here. I can barely see any of the people. They all look like little ants from up here," she commented. "Just how high are we?"

"Oh I don't know. I'd say at least thirty times higher than when we were up in that twisted moss tree in the Lost Woods," Link replied.

Saria gasped loudly at his response, remembering how high up that moss tree they were back then, "Thirty times higher? Oh my goddesses..."

"This mountain gets much higher than that," said Link. "We have a few more slopes to hike up before we make it to Goron City, and they're steeper than this one. We're not quite halfway there yet... at least vertically."

"I bet you could almost touch the goddesses when you're at the very top of the mountain, huh?" said Saria with a little smirk, after quickly getting over the initial shock from being so high up.

"Well, no. But you do feel like you're closer to the heavens when you're at the top," said Link. "Come on, let's keep going."

"Right," Saria replied as she and Link began their ascent up the up the third slope. Although it wasn't as treacherous as the second slope outside of some resident Tektites and occasional rolling rocks, it was certainly steeper. Hiking up this slope was very tiring for casual hikers. But the two forest children pressed on anyway, pushing their way up the steep slope. Along the way, Saria easily scored more bull's-eyes on a number of Tektites, getting better and better at using her slingshot with every kill.

But suddenly, a loud rumbling noise grabbed their attention. In seconds, a large number of boulders rounded a shallow corner and barreled straight toward the youths. Link quickly grabbed Saria by the wrist and ran up the mountain straight toward the ominous rockslide.

"Link, what are you doing? You're going toward them!" Saria protested, trying to wiggle free from Link's grasp.

"Trust me, I know where to get around it," said Link, gripping her wrist tighter as they ran up the mountain.

In seconds, Link found a small grotto in the cliffside and threw Saria into it. He then jumped in right behind her, leaped onto her, and covered her protectively as the rockslide passed right by the grotto. The deafening noise from the rockslide resonating inside the small grotto frightened both children, especially Saria, who had never experienced anything like this before in her life. She may have seen and heard a few trees falling in the woods, but that was nothing compared to this rockslide.

Moments later, all fell silent inside the grotto as the rockslide passed by. Link then let up off of Saria and stood up. "Are you okay, Saria?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm better now that it's over," Saria replied as she stood up, and then started complaining, "Goddesses, that was dangerous! We could've been smashed by those huge rocks."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Link said as he sat down. "That was the biggest rockslide I've ever seen."

"You mean this happens all the time here?" Saria wondered.

"Yes, but nowhere near this bad," Link replied. "Often times, rocks and boulders roll down and fall from this mountain. That's why they call it _'Death Mountain'_. I've been on mountains all over the world, from Termina to Labrynna, and Death Mountain is still the most dangerous.

"I see," said Saria as she too sat down. "I knew this adventure was going to be dangerous with evil falling over Hyrule, but I never realized just how dangerous this world can be. We faced an angry group of villagers, and evil Link, and now this mountain. I'm just now realizing how dangerous your last adventures must've really been."

"Yeah, I've faced all kinds of stuff everywhere I went, and not just the evil I was fighting. There are times when even **I** start wondering if I'll make it out in one piece," said Link.

"But... you somehow made it through those dangerous adventures, 'cause you came home from them, right?" said Saria. "Those villagers were so mean to us when we got there, even though they apologized to us afterward. And those falling rocks were so scary, I didn't think we would make it until we saw that small cave and you threw me in it. I really didn't like those parts at all, but... I'm really liking being on this adventure with you." And Saria smiled as she looked into Link's blue eyes.

"I like having you with me too, Saria," said Link, smiling. "I don't like it either, having to dodge falling rocks and monsters and stuff. But, that's all part of being on a real adventure. You never know what you're going to face. You face something dangerous and you get scared. But once you get through it, you feel better than before, and proud that you got through it all."

"Right," Saria agreed. "I guess we all need a good scare sometimes to really make us feel alive, huh?"

"Yep," Link replied. "Let's go back outside. That rockslide's over now."

So Link and Saria stood up and left their small shelter to continue their journey up the mountain. But when they turned to walk up the path, they found that part of the path had crumbled away, and a massive pile of rocks stood blocking the path. Saria's eyes popped and her mouth hung wide open at the sight before her.

"Oh no," Link lamented as he facepalmed.

"That rockslide just blocked our path up the mountain," said Saria.

"I'll go on ahead and take a look. Maybe we can just go around it somehow," said Navi before she took off ahead to survey the roadblock.

Saria then turned to Link and asked, "How far 'til we reach the next slope?"

"It's still quite a ways out, maybe another six or seven-hundred meters," Link replied. "We're over halfway to Goron City already."

"And we've been climbing this mountain for a few hours. It's already way past noon," Saria commented. "You think we'll make it there and back to the village before sundown?"

"I don't know. I can only hope so," Link replied.

"Link, it's bad," Navi called out as she returned from her survey. "That rockslide just covered most of the path up this slope and part of the next slope. It's like part of the mountain just fell right on top of it."

Link and Saria both fell to their knees when they heard the bad news. "Oh great... just great," Link complained.

"Now how are we gonna make it up this mountain?" Saria wondered.

Then suddenly, a few loud and resonant hoots grabbed the attention of the forest children and their fairies. They all glanced up toward the sky and found a familiar large eagle owl descending toward them.

"Hoot, hoot! Link, Saria, thank the goddesses I found you. I've been looking for you kids all over Hyrule since yesterday," said Kaepora Gaebora. "I thought you were coming up this mountain yesterday. But when I looked for you, you weren't here."

"Yeah, we kinda had a run-in with Dark Link back at the village and we ended up spending the night there. So we're late coming up this mountain, and now we got this rockslide here to deal with," said Link.

"I see you kids have had your hands full," said Kaepora Gaebora. "Well, I've been noticing all kinds of activity all over this mountain. The volcano may be quiet, but there have been a lot more rockslides lately."

"Yeah, we kinda noticed," Link sarcastically replied. "What about the Gorons?"

"Are they okay?" Saria added.

"That, I do not know. I've not seen nor heard any activity from the Gorons," said Kaepora Gaebora. "But, they do tend to stay safely underground when the mountain is acting up. I can't go inside very easily to find out, but you two can still check up on them and see if they're okay."

"Well... we would, but the road is blocked now. We don't know how we're gonna get up this mountain," said Saria.

Suddenly, Link had a bright idea. "Hey, can you take us up there?" he asked.

"Of course I can. I can have both of you up there in a few minutes," said Kaepora Gaebora as he flapped his winds and lifted himself off the ground. "Grab onto my talons, both of you, and hold on tight."

Link and Saria quickly obliged, reached up, and grabbed a hold of Kaepora Gaebora's ankles. Navi and Spryte both tightly latched onto their children's shoulders. And with a few powerful flaps of his massive wings, Kaepora Gaebora soared into the sky, taking the two forest children for a ride up the mountain.

"Wow... this is great," a gleeful Saria cheered as she watched the mountain quickly passing by beneath her.

"Yes it is," Link yelled over the wind. "Flying is the best."

"That it is, my boy. That it is," Kaepora Gaebora agreed.

In no time at all, the wise old owl reached the end of the shallow fifth slope where the entrance to Goron City lie. There, despite his huge and powerful wings, he slowly lowered Link and Saria and set them gently back on terra firma.

"Thanks for the ride, Kaepora Gaebora," said Link.

"It was really amazing. We should do it again sometime," said Saria.

"You kids are very welcome," said Kaepora Gaebora. "I must be going now. Let us hope and pray that the Gorons fare well. I shall keep watch over you both. Hoot, hoot!"

He then gave a few powerful flaps and soared off into the afternoon sky and out of sight.

"Whew... once again, that owl is a lifesaver," said Link. "I don't know how long it would've taken us to climb this mountain."

"That owl, he certainly has some impeccable timing," Navi commented.

"Well, since we made it up here with Kaepora Gaebora's help, let's go and see if the Gorons and their Spiritual Stone are safe," suggested Saria.

"Right. Let's go," said Link. The two forest children and their fairies ran made their way past the huge stone and rock monument and to the entrance to the underground city.

It took little time for Link and Saria to go through the tunnel and emerge into the vast subterranean city. Much of the city was intricately mined, excavated, and carved into a circular cavern resembling a cross between an arena and a small open-pit mine. In the middle, three rope bridges suspended a small monolithic platform over the center of the city. This platform, once proudly displaying Goron's Ruby, now lay empty since the Gorons' chief, Darunia, took the stone for safe keeping. The city expanded down 9 levels, each one with doors to the Gorons' cave dwellings and passageways to different parts of the city carved into them. Many torches all around the city served to provide plenty of warm light to the underground city, and also proudly highlighted the numerous murals of the Gorons themselves and other various mountain scenes all around the city. The biggest piece of artwork lied at the bottom of the city, a massive vase-like statue shaped like three Gorons back-to-back.

The sight of such an intricately excavated underground city captivated Saria. However, despite the majestic sight, one thing seemed to be missing from this wonderful city. Saria and Link both gasped as they realized what was missing.

"Well... where are the Gorons?" Saria wondered.

"This city seems so empty," said Spryte.

"Oh no... not the Gorons too," Link gasped, his mouth hanging open at the emptiness before him. All of his worst fears since he last saw the Great Deku Sprout had come true. The same fate that had fallen upon both the Zoras' homes and their own had also fallen over the Gorons.

"No... please don't tell me those witches did the same thing to the Gorons as they did to us," said Saria.

"It sure looks like it," said Link as he lamented it all. "I knew it. Somehow... I just knew this had happened."

"Why don't we go look for them?" suggested Spryte. "It's just like Kaepora Gaebora said. With their village in trouble, they must be hiding somewhere."

"Spryte's right. I don't think the Gorons would just die off that easily," Navi agreed. "The Zoras all hid when Kotake attacked their village, didn't they?"

"Right. Let's go look for them. Come, this way," said Link as he, Saria, and Spryte ran toward the passage that led to the second level.

Once on the second level, Saria walked out ahead of Link as they began their search. "Do you think they were after the Gorons' Spiritual Stone as well?" Saria asked.

"Of course. Why else would Twinrova attack **here** of all places?" Link replied. "Let's be careful. Kotake was still around and waiting when Navi and I got there. They could still be around here now, waiting for either us or the Gorons."

Suddenly, right after Link had spoken, a resonant sound of whinnying filled the subterranean city. Saria and Link stopped in their tracks as the sound grabbed their attention and listened.

"A horse? Here?" Navi commented.

"How could a horse have gotten up this mountain with all the rock falls?" Link wondered.

"I don't know, but those witches weren't riding horses. They were on brooms," said Saria as she took off jogging. "Someone's gotta be here. Maybe they know where the Gorons went."

"Saria, wait up," Link called out as he took off after her.

"Link, something's not right here," said Navi as she followed closely behind Link. "Why would a horse be up here when the Gorons are missing?"

But just as Link had caught up with Saria, a loud, deep, and resonant chuckle filled the city. Both kids stopped dead in their tracks and started looking to the left and right, finding nothing but the empty city.

"That was no horse," Saria commented.

Link, however, reacted much differently. And when the faint sound of galloping filled the city, he became much more apprehensive. "No, but I know that laugh anywhere," he said as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"See? I told you something wasn't right," said Navi.

"What do you mean? Where have you heard...," Saria wondered as she was turning around to face Link. But the moment her eyes met his face, her eyes popped wide open at what she saw behind him, "Link, watch out!"

She quickly grabbed onto Link and shoved him toward the wall. Right as she threw herself and Link against the wall, a loud shriek pierced their ears as a large black horse sped by them.

"Hey! That horse almost ran right into us," shrieked an indignant Spryte.

Saria got off of Link and helped him off the wall. "Are you okay, Link?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me," Link replied.

"You're welcome," Saria said, smiling at Link.

"Don't just stand there. Do something about that guy and his horse," Spryte shrieked, grabbing Link's and Saria's attention.

Link turned to face the man on horseback just as he was turning around. What Link saw only confirmed his suspicion. He saw an armored man dressed in all black, wearing a black helmet with twisted devil's horns. However, his black armor and helmet had light neon blue trim all around nearly every edge and joint. And his long black cape was half-torn and tattered around the end, and bore numerous light neon blue swirl and wave designs on its outside. In his right hand, he carried a long and deadly black lance.

"Is that really Phantom Ganon?" Navi wondered. "He looks different than the Phantom Ganon we fought in the future."

"Oh it's him alright. He's just in a different suit, that's all," said Link as he drew his modified Kokiri Sword and grabbed his ornate Hylian Shield. "So he's the one who attacked the Gorons, huh?"

Then, he looked over his left shoulder toward Saria. "Stay back, Saria. This fight could get ugly really fast."

"It's okay. You beat that evil Link, so you can beat this guy too," said Saria before she turned and ran for the nearest doorway to hide.

Right as Link turned back to face his opponent, Phantom Ganon's eyes glowed bright red through his blackened face as he lowered his lance. Then, his horse shrieked as he took off galloping toward Link at full speed.

"Oh my goddesses...," Saria gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "It must be scary, watching something that big coming at you so fast."

"I wonder how Link will handle this opponent," said Spryte.

Link gripped his sword and shield tightly and assumed his battle stance as Phantom Ganon sped toward him. And right as the tip of his deadly lance came close to Link's chest, Link leaped into the air. He used Phantom Ganon's lance as a vault, pushing off of it with his right foot, and back-slashed at his helmet. His sword connected with Phantom Ganon's face, knocking him backward on his horse as he sped by. Link easily landed on his feet like a true acrobat and turned to face Phantom Ganon, only to find him still on his horse.

"You can do it, Link. Just try again and knock him off," suggested Navi.

"Yeah, it'd be easier if I was riding Epona while fighting him," said Link.

Phantom Ganon quickly turned around and charged at Link again. This time, Link held his sword out to his side and charged it with energy. As Phantom Ganon was about to strike Link with his lance, Link stepped out of the way, vaulted off his lance, and executed a well-timed spin attack, easily connecting with Phantom Ganon's face. When Link landed, facing his fleeing opponent, he found Phantom Ganon staggering on his mount but quickly regaining his composure. "Damn, that didn't work either," Link cursed.

"I don't think he's gonna be as easy to dismount as those Moblins seemingly were," said Navi.

"No, it sure doesn't look like it... but... I know of other ways to dismount a rider," said Link as he gripped his sword tightly. "I just hope this works."

'You can do it, Link. If anyone can beat this guy... you can,' Saria thought to herself as she watched the fight unfold from the open doorway in the wall.

Phantom Ganon took off charging again, this time ducking lower on his mount to avoid another blow to the face from Link's sword. Link too took off running at his speeding opponent. And right as Phantom Ganon's lance came within inches of his face, Link threw his shield aside and slid on the ground like a baseball player. He lifted his blade in the air and connected with the horse's chest, slashing all the way down its underside.

The horse screamed in pain, stumbled, and fell on its side and threw Phantom Ganon off. It then disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke as Phantom Ganon fell down to the second level from the bottom.

"Alright! Way to go, Link!" Saria cheered.

"He's not dead yet, Saria, just thrown from his horse," said Link as he got back up and walked toward the ledge. When he looked down, he found Phantom Ganon already back on his feet.

"You know what's coming next, right Link?" said Navi.

"Uh-huh," Link replied as he backed away from the ledge. And right when he did, Phantom Ganon shot up into the air and levitated in the air over the middle of the city, away from the ropes and suspended platform. "This is where it can really turn ugly," Link said to both Navi and Saria.

Link readied his sword as Phantom Ganon raised both hands above his head. Suddenly, bolts of lightning began surging into his hands, forming a massive ball of deadly energy. Phantom Ganon growled deeply as he charged up his attack, and then yelled as he launched the ball of energy at Link.

As the ball of energy barreled toward him, Link took his sword and swung at it, sending it right back at Phantom Ganon. Phantom Ganon acted quickly and swiftly drew his sword with a mighty slash like a veteran samurai, sending the energy ball back to Link. Link reacted quickly and struck the energy ball, sending it back at Phantom Ganon.

Phantom Ganon then sent it right back at Link with a well-timed backhand swing like a star tennis player. And this back and forth game of Dead Man's Volley continued on. After about five or six more shots back and forth, Link thought fast and struck the energy ball with a quick spin attack, sending it flying at Phantom Ganon with blazing speed.

Such speed proved too much for Phantom Ganon as the ball of energy struck him in the chest. He yelled as the energy coursed through his body, paralyzing him and causing him to fall down to the city's seventh level.

Link seized the opportunity and leaped down to the third level and took off running toward Phantom Ganon. But right as he was about to jump down to the fourth level, Phantom Ganon stood back up and leaped back into the air. "I swear, jumping down these levels is a drag," said Link as he backed away from the edge of the third level. "I could've gotten him if he wasn't so far down."

"Just try again, Link. It's the only advice I can give you," said Navi.

So Link and Phantom Ganon stared each other down. Link took the time during their pause to further examine his opponent. H glanced at Phantom Ganon's right hand which held his sword. Much like the rest of his outfit, Phantom Ganon's sword was jet black with light neon blue trim around the blade and hilt. It had a fairly wide blade with a broad axe-shaped tip and was adorned with light neon blue runes.

But before Link could finish examining his opponent, Phantom Ganon raised his left hand and formed another deadly ball of energy. He then threw it at Link and quickly readied his black runic sword for the return fire. Link easily struck the orb of energy with a backhand slash and sent it back at his opponent, to which Phantom Ganon easily countered and returned it to sender.

After a few return shots and easy reflects, Link gave his quick spin attack another go and sent the energy ball flying back at Phantom Ganon with furious speed. His opponent, however, wasn't going to fall for this trick again and batted it right back at Link. This failure to hit Phantom Ganon didn't deter Link as he kept sending the fast-moving orb of crippling energy back and forth. No matter what trick he tried, what spin attack he used, or what method he used to change the rhythm, they kept sending the energy ball back and forth.

"How long have they been going on like this?" Saria wondered as she watched the deadly game of tennis unfold from the second level.

"I don't know, dear. I lost count," Spryte replied.

"But... this can go on forever," Saria complained.

"Well, he did say it would get ugly, and nothing is more agonizing than having a fight drag on like this," said Spryte.

"Yeah, but... I... I can't bear to watch this anymore, wondering if Link's going to tire out and get hit by that guy in black's attack. I want Link to win, and I gotta help him do it," said a determined Saria as she reached into the bag hanging from her right hip and grabbed her slingshot.

"How're you gonna help him with that?" Spryte wondered, skeptical of her child's intentions.

"It's just a hunch I have," said Saria as she reached down and grabbed a rock from the ground, and then loaded it onto her slingshot. She then gripped the slingshot tightly in her right hand, pulled the sling back with her left, and took aim at Phantom Ganon.

'If I can time it just right...,' she thought to herself as she watched the energy ball fly back and forth between the two relentless gladiators. Right as Phantom Ganon sent the energy ball back at Link, Saria released the sling and sent the rock flying at Phantom Ganon. And just as Link struck the energy ball to send it back at his opponent, Saria's shot struck Phantom Ganon right between his glowing red eyes. That split-second distraction left enough of an opening for the energy ball to strike Phantom Ganon and knock him out of the air.

"Yes! Alright!" Saria cheered, pumping her left fist in celebration.

"Nice shot, Saria," Spryte praised.

Luckily for Link, Phantom Ganon fell down to only the fourth level, with the dark energy paralyzing him. Link seized the opportunity and leaped from the third level with his sword in both hands. And with a loud "Hyaah", he struck Phantom Ganon with a powerful falling downward slash. Once he landed, he proceeded to slash away at the stricken Phantom Ganon. He then finished with a powerful quick spin, knocking Phantom Ganon down to the fifth level.

Moments later, Phantom Ganon miraculously stood back up from the relentless attack and stared up at Link. He then jumped up and hovered high in the air, pondering his next move. He then let out another deep and resonant chuckle as he sheathed his sword. And to Link's surprise, Phantom Ganon transformed into a glowing neon blue and black cloud and bolted out the entrance to Goron City.

"Well, at least he's gone now," said Navi.

"Yeah... for now," Link somberly said as he sheathed his sword. "We'll see him again. The question is, when?"

Saria, however, ran out from her hiding place and grabbed Link's shield, and then began hopping down the levels. "Link?" she called out to him. "Hey Link?"

Link turned around to find Saria hopping down from the third level and sprinting toward him. As she neared him, she dropped his shield and threw her arms around his waist, embracing him tightly. "You did it, Link. You beat that guy in black," she said.

Link wrapped his arms around Saria's shoulders and returned her embrace. "Yes... I guess I did win," he said as he smiled. "Was that you who shot him in the face?"

"Uh-huh, you betcha," Saria proudly replied.

"That was a really good shot. You're really getting better and better at using that slingshot," he praised, not letting go of the pretty Kokiri girl.

"Awww... thanks, Link," Saria replied, tightening her embrace and holding back a blush.

"That shot to his face really helped. If you hadn't helped, I don't know how long we would've gone back and forth like that," said Link. "Thank you so much, Saria. You really are wonderful to have with me on this journey."

"You're so very welcome," Saria replied, nuzzling her face against the crook of his neck.

"Alright, you two. Before you get too lovey dovey, shouldn't we be looking for the Gorons?" said Navi.

"Especially since that man in black is gone now," Spryte added.

Link and Saria quickly let go of each other, with Saria blushing beet red. "That's right, the Gorons," said Link. "I'm sure they're okay now, but I've got to find Darunia."

So Link ran to his shield and quickly strapped it to his back. He then ran back to Saria and took her by the left wrist. "Come, Saria, this way," he said as he ran for the doorway that led to the fifth level, leading Saria along.

"Wait, Link, where are you going?" Saria wondered as she ran along with Link, almost being dragged by him.

"The Gorons would've come back out by now if they were hiding here," Link explained as they ran down the series of ramps to the fifth level. "I think I know where they're hiding. The question is, how far did they go?"

"Well, where would the Gorons be hiding?" Saria asked.

"In the volcano itself, near the Fire Temple," Link replied. "There's a passage leading there from Darunia's chamber."

"Wait, **in** a volcano?" a very shocked Saria shrieked as Link continued leading her toward the bottom level. "Are you mad? Isn't a volcano full of **fire**?"

"Well, yes and no. There's a lot of lava at the very bottom of the crater, but there's a lot of places to safely walk. There's even a few caves in there too that's safe from the heat," Link explained.

"But Link, you know it gets very hot in there with all that lava in there. We can't survive for very long in there," Navi argued. "You're not gonna drag Saria into that oversized oven, are you?"

"No, of course not," Link replied as they reached the bottom level. "I would never drag Saria into a place that's so hot when our forest doesn't even get anywhere near that hot. I have to go in alone and see if Darunia and the Gorons are hiding in there."

"But won't you be in danger too, going into a place that's even hotter than when our village was on fire?" Saria pleaded, taking both of Link's hands into hers as they reached the open door to Darunia's chamber.

"Not really. I've been in there before," Link replied.

"Yeah, in the **future**," Navi argued. "Do you even have anything that'll protect you from the extreme heat? I don't think the Gorons' special heat-resistant tunic quite fits you yet."

"No, but it's all I have," said Link as he reached into his item bag and extracted his red fire-resistant tunic and hat. He then unfolded it and set it aside. He unstrapped his sword and shield, removed his green hat, and handed them to Saria, "Can you hold onto these for me?"

"Sure, Link," Saria replied as she took Link's sword, shield, and hat.

Link quickly pulled the red tunic on over his clothes. Though it was still too large, it was the only protection from the heat that he had. He then threw the protective red hat over his head like it was a cowl and turned to his fairy, "Navi, you and Spryte stay here and watch over Saria."

"I will, dear," Navi replied. "Just make it back in one piece, okay?"

"Right," Link replied as he turned around and ran into Darunia's chamber. He then ran behind his throne and into the passage to Death Mountain Crater. After a few minutes of running through the complex tunnel, Link emerged and found himself in the massive caldera. It was just as he had remembered it from his first adventure. All kinds of huge rocks, pathways, and cliffs dominated all around the crater. At the very bottom, a massive pool of lava boiled. Despite it being hotter than any hot spring or dry sauna he's ever been in, his oversized protective red tunic did its job well and shielded him from the extreme heat. His next job now was to find at least one Goron.

Luckily for him, he found a rather unusual-looking rock not more than fifty meters from the passageway. "Hey, Goron? It's me, Link," he greeted.

At the sound of Link's voice, the strange-looking rock quickly unrolled itself and stood up, revealing a rather portly tan creature with muscular arms and legs. Its skin was thick and leathery, protected by a thick rock-like shell on its back. On its wide and round face, it wore a big smile on its thick lips and had big beady eyes. "Link, you made it! Thank the goddesses," said the young male Goron.

"Where's everyone at? And where's Brother Darunia?" Link asked.

"Everyone scattered when that man in black showed up and demanded our Goron's Ruby," the Goron replied. "But, Brother Darunia is here, as well as a lot of us."

Right as the Goron mentioned it, a few more Gorons nearby began unrolling themselves and standing up. Upon seeing Link, they all began cheering the hero's arrival.

"Well, go to Brother Darunia and tell him that I'm here and that the man in black is gone," Link announced to all the nearby Gorons. Then, he turned back to the young Goron towering over him, "I have to go back. It's hot in here and I have a friend waiting for me back at the city."

"I understand. Thank you so much for saving our city," said the Goron. Link turned around and ran back for the passageway, not wanting to spend another minute in that searing blast furnace.

_Twenty minutes later..._

Link and Saria stood just inside of Darunia's chamber by the door as the Gorons filed in from the volcano and walked back into the city proper. Many thanked Link for saving their city and liberating them from Phantom Ganon. Link had already removed his oversized fire-resistant tunic, donned his hat, and strapped on his sword and shield. There, he stood patiently and awaited and awaited Darunia's arrival.

"So these are the Gorons, huh?" said Saria as she watched each one enter Darunia's chamber from the volcano and exit into the city.

"Yep. These are the Gorons, the people of the mountains," said Link. "Sure some of them look gruff, but in a lot of ways, they're just like us. They work hard and love to sing and dance."

"Link, my brother, it's so good to see you again. And I see you've grown quite a bit since I last saw you," a deep but cheerful voice greeted. Link and Saria turned toward the passageway behind the throne to see a much larger Goron enter the chamber. He had a much more muscular physique than the other Gorons, despite being just as portly. He also had longer hair and wore a long chin curtain beard.

"Darunia, I'm glad to see that you're safe," said Link as he approached his friend and Goron brother. "Is Goron's Ruby safe too?"

"Of course it is, Brother. It's gonna take more than an evil man in black armor scaring my people to make me give up Goron's Ruby, not if I can help it," Darunia proudly replied.

Link and Saria both let out a sigh of relief when they heard the good news. "I'm so glad to hear that. I've been so worried," said Link.

"Me too. I'm glad that you too made it through an evil attack just like we and the Zoras did," Saria added.

Darunia looked at Link's green-haired companion when he heard her voice, watching as she walked up and stood right next to Link. "My, my, aren't you a pretty little lady," said Darunia.

Saria blushed furiously and bashfully turned her face away as he complimented her beauty. Not only did she have Link flattering her now and then, but now she had this strange Goron flattering her as well. It made her feel so warm inside that she couldn't help but to blush.

"Oh, Darunia, this is Saria," said Link, introducing his companion. "She's a Kokiri. She's from the forest just like I am. And... she's my best friend in the whole world. Saria, this is Darunia. He's the leader of the Gorons and... he and I sorta became sworn brothers during my first adventure."

Saria turned back to Darunia and curtsied politely, "I'm pleased to finally meet you." But when her blue eyes met his beady eyes, she immediately sensed a familiar aura from him. It was the same aura that she had felt from both Princess Ruto and Impa. "Umm... Mr. Darunia? You must be a sage too, aren't you?" she inquired. "I can sense it in you."

"Yes, dear lady," Darunia acknowledged before he paused and took his seat on his artistically painted and decorated throne. "I am the Sage of Fire, and the guardian of the Fire Temple. You must be a sage too if you can sense my dormant powers. And since you're from the forest, you must be the Sage of Forest, right?"

"Yes. I only found out that I was a sage just over two years ago," said Saria. "You're the third sage I've met since a pair of witches attacked us and the Zoras."

"I see. It's sad that all of our homes are under attack," said Darunia. "Perhaps, since this evil has visited our homes, you shall meet the other sages as you travel with Brother Link on his adventure," said Darunia.

"So what happened here?" Link asked. "We sensed you were in danger too since our home was attacked. So we came here as quickly as we could. But when we got here, the city was deserted and all we found was Phantom Ganon."

"Yes. That "Phantom Ganon", as you call him, suddenly showed up in our city and trashed some of the Gorons' homes," Darunia explained. "He demanded that we hand over our Spiritual Stone or he would start destroying even more homes. I wasn't about to give it to him. So all I could do was evacuate every Goron that I could to the volcano and the Fire Temple. And since we left, he stayed here and waited for us."

"That's horrible, being chased out of your homes like that," said Saria.

"How long has this gone on?" Link asked.

"Well, this Phantom Ganon showed up here four days ago," Darunia replied. "And he's done nothing but lie here and wait since."

Saria gasped at Darunia's response, "Four days ago? Isn't that... the same day **we** were attacked?" She and Link turned to each other as she continued, "And the Zoras too?"

"That must mean... that Twinrova and Phantom Ganon...," Link gasped.

"It must've been a well-coordinated and simultaneous attack," Navi concluded. "They must've tried to take all three Spiritual Stones all at once so they could hasten Ganondorf's return."

"Yeah... well-coordinated indeed," Link agreed.

"Hey, don't be so down, Brother. You did beat that Phantom Ganon and save our city, didn't you?" said Darunia.

"Well... yes," Link replied.

"And you did save your own home as well as the Zoras', right?" Darunia asked.

"Yes, I did. It wasn't easy, and I was afraid for everyone, but... I did chase Twinrova away," said Link.

"Then you've won. The Spiritual Stones are still safe and you saved us all. You're certainly a hero, Brother, and this calls for celebration. So cheer up," said Darunia as he stood up from his throne. "How about playing that song with the really hot beat that we all love so much? It'll make us all feel better about today."

"Sure, Darunia. I'd love to," Link replied as he reached for his left hip where his fairy ocarina hung in its protective bag.

"Wait, Link," Saria interrupted, smiling at him as grabbing Link's wrist before he could touch his ocarina bag. "**I'll** play it for him."

Link gazed into Saria's pretty blue eyes, skeptical of her intentions. And when he looked into those beautiful blue eyes and saw her smiling, he thought about the song that Darunia and the Gorons loved so much and remembered who it was who had taught it to him in the first place. As he realized why she wanted to play the song for Darunia, Link smiled back and nodded, "Okay, Saria. Go for it."

Saria reached for her own ocarina resting in its protective bag on her left hip. She extracted the brown and tan fairy ocarina, slowly raised it to her lips, and played a few quick scales to warm up. Then, she closed her eyes and began playing a slow yet sweet and happy song to open her recital.

"Wow, this is a different song," Darunia commented as closed his eyes and slowly rocked side and side to the sweet-sounding song.

Soon, upon reaching the end of her short opener, Saria opened her eyes, looked into Darunia's, and winked at him. Then, she began playing the festive and upbeat _"Saria's Song"_. When she did, Darunia smiled and immediately broke out dancing. And not only that, Link and every Goron within earshot of her ocarina also began dancing to Saria's hot beat.

"Yaaahooo!" Darunia cheered as he danced a vibrant jig to his favorite song. "What a hot beat!"

After Saria finished her song, she clutched her fairy ocarina against her chest and bowed to Darunia. She then turned around, walked to the door, and bowed to the rest of the Gorons as they all applauded her. Then, she rejoined Link and Darunia back inside his chamber.

"That is always such a wonderful song. We all love dancing to it. You play it so well, young Saria," said Darunia.

"Thank you so kindly, Mr. Darunia," Saria replied.

"Well, Darunia, there's a reason she wanted to be the one to play it for us," said Link. And as Darunia paused to listen, Link explained, "That song with the really hot beat... is **her** song."

"Really? That's her song?" said Darunia.

"Yep. She wrote it, and she taught it to me," said Link.

"That's just amazing," said an astonished Darunia.

"And she's written all kinds of other songs too, from slow songs to dance reels," Link continued.

"Link... you flatter me too much," said Saria, blushing.

Darunia smiled and turned to the pretty young Kokiri girl and politely asked, "Well, young Saria, can you play some of those songs for us? It would mean a lot to us."

Saria turned to Link and playfully punched him in the arm. "You just **had** to put me on the spot, didn't you?" she teased, smiling wryly.

"Hey now, didn't we once talk about sharing your wonderful music with the world?" Link reminded.

"Umm... yes," Saria sheepishly replied, still smiling and still blushing.

"Well, here's your audience and there's your stage. It's your day to shine," said Link.

Saria turned back to Darunia, "I would be honored to play for you."

"Great, then let's all dance," said Darunia. Saria and Link then left Darunia's chamber and joined the other Gorons in the city. Darunia came up behind Saria and grabbed onto her. Saria yelped at his sudden action as he lifted her effortlessly in the air. He then placed her on top of the three-Goron statue where she could play. "Oh... thank you, Mr. Darunia," she said.

"You're welcome, young Saria," Darunia replied.

Saria then looked all about the vast underground city at all the Gorons as they anxiously awaited her performance. She then smiled and placed her fairy ocarina to her lips. She did another quick warm-up before starting off with a fast-paced Irish dance reel that she usually loved to play for everyone in Kokiri Forest. And for the next few hours, everyone danced away as Saria played in her first big concert outside the forest.

_end of chapter 15  
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So now we have Phantom Ganon thrown into the mix. Just how many baddies am I going to introduce in this tory? I don't know yet, but I did have Phantom Ganon planned as an antagonist from the beginning, just like Twinrova and Dark Link. And just like the other two, you know he'll be back in later chapters. But how are they all connected? Or are they?

At least Darunia finally got to meet the lovely young Kokiri who wrote that "really hot beat" he liked so much in Ocarina of Time... and thus made the ending very appropriate: Saria's first big concert. So now that the Gorons are safe, and thus all 3 Spiritual Stones, what lies ahead in Link's and Saria's new adventure? This is still only the beginning of their adventure, so there's a lot more to go, I assure you. This chapter ended up much longer than I thought it would. I just went to town on this chapter, with even the opening scene being quite lengthy. Then again, I've stopped paying attention to how long my chapters get. I just go with it, and if it's way to long, I try to find a place to split it if I can. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

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One final note. I greatly appreciate all the messages you've sent me wondering when I'll post my next chapters in the last month and a half. So as a solution, I will be posting regular updates on all my projects on my profile page. And since this fanfic is my only project right now, I'll be keeping you up to date on how my progress with my current chapter is. That way, you won't have to wonder how I'm doing on the story and when I'll post my next chapter. Do note: I won't be revealing when exactly I'll post as even I don't know, but it's a good way to keep track of my progress. So if you ever wonder when I'll post, check my profile page under the update and you'll get a good idea. I can't really post a separate fanfic with just my authors notes and updates on my current projects, so this was the best solution I could find for now. Any and all reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun, Zelda fans, and good night,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	17. Chapter 16: Homeward Bound

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 16

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Last chapter was so awesome. Link and Saria climbed the tall and treacherous Death Mountain to go see the Gorons and had some fights along the way. So now that they've visited the Gorons, what lies ahead for the young couple from Kokiri Forest? Will their adventure take twists and turns? Will their love continue to grow as they grow? Read and find out.

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**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 16: Homeward Bound

"Good Morning, Link. Time to get up," a voice said to Link as he slept, prompting him to stir. "Come on, Link. It's morning. I know you had a lot of fun last night, but you know I can't let you sleep in."

"Mmm... not even five more minutes?" Link sleepily moaned as he kept tossing and turning.

"No, dear. We gotta get going," Navi replied.

Link finally barely cracked his eyes open to see the feminine figure of his fairy through her bright blue glow. "Morning, Navi," he sleepily greeted.

"That's better. Now get up. Up, up, up," Navi badgered as Link sat up in his bed and began to rub the sleep from his eyes. He then stretched his arms out to his sides and let out a big yawn. When he opened his eyes and looked around, he found his green modified Kokiri outfit neatly folded on the small chair next to the wooden wardrobe. Everything, including the small oil lamp dimly lit on the nightstand by his bed, was just as he had left it. So what happened last night that is giving Link so many difficulties with waking up?

_The evening before..._

After Saria's long recital, she and Link shared a moderate dinner of dried meat, bread, fruits, and vegetables in one of the Gorons' dining halls. Since the Gorons rarely had guests outside of postmen and couriers from Hyrule Castle, they never kept any food outside of the variety of rocks that they ate.

After dinner, Link and Saria met with Darunia outside the dining hall. "Thank you for saving our city, Brother," said Darunia.

"You're welcome. You know I had to," Link replied.

Then, Darunia turned to Saria, "And thank **you**, young Saria, for that wonderful performance. We Gorons will always remember it."

"You're very welcome, Mr. Darunia," Saria replied as she curtsied politely.

"Are you sure you kids don't want to stay the night?" Darunia asked. "We'd be honored to have you as our guests."

"I'm sure," Link replied. "We have a big adventure ahead of us, especially with evil lurking about Hyrule. We gotta find out how we're gonna put a stop to it."

"Yes... that, I can understand," said Darunia. What Darunia didn't know was that Link's adventure wasn't his only reason for having to leave. Because the Gorons rarely received visitors, they had no lodging accommodations of any kind for any race except the Gorons. Needless to say, the accommodations would be less than comfortable for races like Hylians and Kokiri. Though Link meant no offense to his friends, he would much rather camp outside than in Goron City.

"Well, we must be off. Take care, Brother Darunia," said Link as he and Saria turned around and began their walk toward the entrance.

"Goodbye, Brother. Goodbye, young Saria. You two come back and visit anytime, okay?" said Darunia.

"We will," Saria called back. Then, she turned to Link. "If we're not staying here tonight, then where are we gonna stay?"

"Where else? Back at the inn in Kakariko Village," Link replied.

"But how are we gonna get down the mountain?" Saria wondered. "The paths are still blocked from that huge landslide and it was a miracle that we even made it up here, thanks to Kaepora Gaebora."

"It's a hunch I've got. Since that landslide blocked our path, I'm sure that Kaepora Gaebora is still waiting for us outside so he can help us back down. Plus, I'm sure he'd want an update on the Gorons. So I don't think he'd just leave us up here." Link explained.

"I guess you're right," Saria surrendered. "But, we spent so much time here after taking so long to get up here. I'm afraid it's already past sundown outside."

"Well... we could always check a gossip stone," Link said with a smirk. "There's one just over there near the entrance."

"Brilliant. Those things always keep good time," said Saria as she and Link ran up to it.

"They've helped me out a lot whenever I was in dungeons or it was night time, and I couldn't use the sun to tell time," said Link as they arrived at the gossip stone.

"Couldn't you kids just go outside and see if the sun's gone down already since you're going outside anyway?" Navi asked.

"Well, yeah... but we wanna know now," Link replied before he gave the gossip stone a good kick right on the eye symbol.

"Boing, boing! The time is 19:33," said the spirit dwelling within the gossip stone.

"Oh no, the sun's getting ready to set already," Saria lamented. "I hope you're right and Kaepora Gaebora is waiting for us outside."

"Would you like to hear the latest gossip that I overheard?" said the spirit dwelling within the gossip stone mischievously asked.

"No time. Gotta run," Link sharply replied as he and Saria took off. They ran through the city and into the passage leading outside. Much anxiety filled both their hearts as they neared the exit. What if Kaepora Gaebora was nowhere outside? What would they do? Would they just give in and reluctantly spend the night with the Gorons and try their luck with going down the mountain in the morning? They were about to find out.

Luckily, when they emerged outside, they found the wise old eagle owl perched on the nearby fence near the edge of the cliff. "Hoot! I was beginning to wonder if you kids would even come out today," said Kaepora Gaebora.

"Oh we were. We just ended up staying a while after we defeated the evil in there," said Link.

"We were afraid you weren't going to be out here," said Saria.

"But of course I'm still here. I would've waited all night for you if you ended up staying that long. How else are you kids going to get back down the mountain?" said Kaepora Gaebora. "It's sad that evil had fallen over the Gorons as well. That might have accounted for the increased rock and landslide activity on this mountain despite the volcano being inactive. It's wonderful that you overcame that evil and ensured that the Gorons and their Spiritual Stone were safe. And thus, your adventure shall continue. Would you like to hear that again?"

"Uhh... no thanks," Link replied.

"Very well. So where will you kids go next?" Kaepora Gaebora asked.

"Well, back to Kakariko Village for now. We'll think about where to go next in the morning," Link replied.

"I understand, since it's almost sundown. Grab onto my talons, both of you," said Kaepora Gaebora before he flapped his large and powerful wings, lifting himself from the fence.

_In the morning..._

Soon, a large number of cuccos broke Link from his thoughts of last night, their crowing signaling the beginning of the day. At that sound, Link lamented.

"Oh no, Anju's cuccos must've broken loose last night," he said as he tossed the sheets off of him and stood up from his bed. "It sounds like they're right outside too. Is Saria awake yet?"

"I'm sure she is," Navi replied as she backed away from Link and fluttered upward. "She's usually awake before you when she's not sleeping way too comfortably in your arms."

"Ha-ha, very funny," Link sarcastically mocked as he walked to the small chair to grab his clothes.

"I'll go check on her and Spryte while you get dressed," said Navi before she flew toward the partially cracked open door to the inn's third floor hallway.

"No problem. See 'ya, Navi," Link replied before he began to change out of his pajamas. As he changed, he once again thought back on last night and thought about how thankful he was that Kaepora Gaebora was waiting for him and Saria outside of Goron City. He was especially thankful to have slept in a nice soft bed rather than the hard rock floor, and to be waking up to the sun peering in through the curtains covering the window rather than a bunch of artistically decorated stone walls.

Later on, after having gotten dressed and enjoying a nice breakfast together, Link and Saria turned in their room keys and left the Kakariko Village Inn. Outside, only a few people mingled around the village, along with a number of Anju's loose cuccos. It was still early in the morning, with the sun having just risen barely over an hour ago. So most of everyone was either still asleep or having breakfast in their homes. Once outside, the two forest kids took in a breath of the fresh morning air of the village.

"Ahh... what a beautiful morning," said Saria as she glanced up at the cloudless sky.

"Yes it is, now that we know the Spiritual Stones are still safe," said Link.

"So where do we go now?" Saria wondered.

Link thought about it for a moment. In the few days that he and Saria had been away from Kokiri Forest, they already had to face his darker self in battle, an angry mountain that tried everything short of erupting to slow their ascent, and a Phantom Ganon that made an endurance match out of their battle. Link and Saria certainly had their share of adventure, and they both knew they had a lot more ahead of them. So Link came up with an answer to Saria's question, "Let's go back home for a little visit."

"That would be nice, just like when you came home to visit me during your first adventure," said Saria.

"But what about Princess Zelda?" Navi disputed. "Didn't the Great Deku Sprout tell us to go see her?"

"Yes... that's why I wrote that letter before bed last night," Link replied. "I gave it to a postman before breakfast while you were still with Saria. We're gonna need invitations to get into the castle to see her, right?"

"Yes. I guess you're right," said Navi.

"So why not go back home for a visit before we see Zelda and continue on our big adventure?" said Link.

"Well, let's go. I'm sure everyone back home would love to have us visit them," said Saria. So she and Link took off sprinting from the inn and through the village, with their fairies trailing behind. They quickly reached the western gate and ran through the small ravine in the hills. In no time at all, they reached the stone steps and paused to catch their breath.

"Well... we can't... run like this... all day," Saria said in between breaths.

"We don't... have to run... all the way," said Link as he too was catching his breath.

Saria took a deep breath and then turned to Link, "And why not?"

"Because, I can call Epona over here," Link replied. "She should be back at the ranch now."

"But what if she doesn't come like the last time you called for her?" Saria wondered.

"I don't know. It'll take us a couple days to walk and run back home," said Link. "We can at least make it to the castle right before sundown when they raise the drawbridge. They have a number of big and small inns there where we could sleep."

"Well, call on her and see if she'll come," suggested Saria.

So Link reached for his left hip and removed his brownish tan fairy ocarina from its protective bag. When he did, Saria too reached for her left hip and grabbed her own ocarina. "Let's do it together," she suggested with a warm smile. "We can either play it like an ensemble or try that duet that we played at the festival."

"Now that's a wonderful idea," said Link as he raised his ocarina to his lips. "Let's play the duet. I bet she'll love it."

So Link tapped his right foot to the rhythm of the song to start them off in tune. Then Link and Saria both closed their eyes and began playing a duet version of _"Epona's Song"_. Link played the song's melody, while Saria played the accompaniment. It certainly made for a wonderful song that magically reached Epona's ears all the way at Lon Lon Ranch.

After their short recital, Saria lowered her ocarina, turned to Link, and wondered, "So what are we gonna do while we wait for her?"

"Let's walk west toward the castle," suggested Link. "Epona will be coming from the west, so why not go toward her? If she doesn't come, then we're already that much closer to the castle."

"Okay. Let's go," said Saria. So Link and Saria began their walk toward the wooden bridge over the nearby river. From there, they would begin their long trek westward toward the castle and hopefully toward Epona.

After just less than an hour of walking, Saria spotted something appearing from over the horizon and speeding toward them. "Link, look," she said as she pointed to it.

Link saw it too. And in seconds, he recognized the red coat and white mane of his closest equine friend. "That's her," said Link.

"Oh wow, she really came," Saria said excitedly.

"Of course she came. She usually does," said Link as Epona quickly approached him and Saria. "Like I said the other day, she was probably with Talon on one of his delivery runs the other day."

"I see," said Saria as she watched Epona walk up to them.

Link approached Epona and gently stroked her muzzle. "It's so good to see you again, girl," he said to her, to which she responded with a friendly nudge to his neck. "You have no idea what kind of stuff we've been through in the last five days."

"Wow, that's a very pretty animal," Saria commented. "It's been so long since I've last seen a horse that I've forgotten how beautiful they are."

"That's because we almost never get any wild horses in the forest," said Spryte. "On top of that, we get even fewer visitors in the forest who ride horses."

"Oh... Saria, this is Epona," Link said to Saria, introducing his equine friend to her. "We've been on some pretty wild adventures in Termina and Holodrum together. She's one of the best traveling companions anyone could ask for."

"It's so great to finally get to meet the horse you've told me so much about," said Saria, in awe of the chestnut standing before them. "She's so pretty."

After reuniting with Link, Epona looked into Saria's blue eyes and just stared at her for a moment.

"Saria, dear, that horse is staring at us really weird," said Spryte. "I don't like this. She's so much bigger than we are."

"She's never met you and Saria before," said Navi. "She was kind of shy around Link when she first met him."

Then, Epona slowly walked toward the green-haired girl, her brown eyes locked onto Saria's. In response, Saria began to feel a little uneasy, wondering what Epona was going to do. Was she going to be friendly with this strange new person? Or was she going to become like that feral Wolfos from last month that had nearly gotten her? As friendly as this beautiful animal was toward Link, her immense size and rather stern look on her long face made Saria wonder.

But much to Saria's surprise, when Epona came up to her, she nickered and gave Saria a friendly nudge on her neck. Saria began giggling and squirming as the young filly began nuzzling her neck and cheek.

"Saria, I think she likes you," Navi teasingly commented.

"Of course she does. She knows all about Saria," said Link.

"And how does she know about Saria if she's never met her until now?" Spryte skeptically asked.

"Because, when we were out on our adventures outside of Hyrule, I used to tell Epona about Saria all the time and even tell stories about her," Link explained. "Epona's just as delighted to finally meet Saria as she is to meet Epona."

"Ohh... I get it," said Spryte.

"So are you ready to go home yet, Saria?" Link asked as he watched Saria and Epona get acquainted.

"Yes, Link. We're ready," Saria giggled as Epona nuzzled her cheek and neck some more. "Did you really say all those good things and tell her all those wonderful stories about me?"

"Of course I did," Link replied. "You're my best friend and I thought about you a lot when I was away for so long. Epona was really the only one who I could share my thoughts with."

Saria giggled and walked right up to Link. She wrapped her arms over his shoulders and around the back of his neck and kissed him softly on the lips. "You flatterer," Saria teased, smiling warmly at him.

"No, just telling her about you and how I thought about you, that's all," said Link.

"Does she know that I love you?" Saria asked, still smiling.

"Sure she does. And she knows I love you too," Link replied before he pressed his lips against hers and kissed her softly under the morning sun.

A short and blissful moment later, Saria broke the kiss. "I'm ready to go home now," she said as she let go of Link.

"Okay, let's go," said Link. So he and Saria walked up to Epona's left side. Link grabbed onto the saddle horn, stuck his left boot in the stirrup, and mounted up. Then, he extended his left hand to Saria, "Come on up, Saria."

Saria gladly took Link's outreached hand into hers. She then placed her left boot in the stirrup and, with Link's help, mounted up and sat right behind Link.

"Hang on tight, Saria. Epona's very fast," Link warned, to which Saria heeded and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist just below his shield. Link then gave Epona a snap of the reins and a kick to the side, and Epona took off at full gallop down the field.

Saria felt her heart pounding against her chest as the up and down motions of Epona's galloping rocked her body. She squeezed Link's waist tightly, pressed her face against the Hylian Shield on his back, and closed her eyes tightly as Epona sped through the plain. She had no idea how fast they were going, but it certainly felt like a much rougher ride than the ones Kaepora Gaebora had given her and Link.

"Hey, you alright back there?" Link called back to Saria.

"I'm okay," Saria replied. "I've just never ridden a horse before, that's all."

"She's not too fast for you, is she?" Link teased.

"Maybe a little, but don't slow down," Saria replied.

"She **is** the fastest horse in all of Hyrule," Link explained as they rode on. "Only Queen Ambi's horses from the Labrynna of the past were faster."

"I see," said Saria. After a few more minutes of her body getting used to riding a horse, Saria finally opened her eyes and saw just how fast the ground was moving right by them. Although she had seen the ground speed by beneath her feet once before when Kaepora Gaebora whisked her and Link up Death Mountain, it was a sight and sensation that had lasted only a few minutes. Moving so fast through the air and moving so fast on the ground were completely different experiences to her. So needless to say, once she started getting used to it, Saria found Epona's speed very fascinating.

She then turned her eyes toward the horizon. When she saw every tree, bush, and blade of grass moving by both in the distance and up close, Saria couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by the marvelous sight. It was the first time she could really enjoy so much of Hyrule's beautiful scenery all at once. Seeing Hyrule's scenery while on foot looked all the same to her as the hours went by. But on horseback, the moving scenery that seemed to change by the minute was what left her mesmerized. So she laid her cheek on the Hylian Shield strapped to Link's back and let out a dreamy sigh.

"You enjoying the view?" Link called back.

"Oh yes, I really love it," Saria replied. "I never knew the outside world could be so beautiful in its own way."

"Well, this is only a small piece of it. Since you can leave the forest now, we'll be seeing so much more of the world," said Link.

"Oh I can't wait," Saria eagerly said as she squeezed Link affectionately. She held on tight and enjoyed the marvelous view as Epona sped toward Kokiri Forest.

_Later that morning, Kokiri Forest..._

Upon arriving at the edge of the forest, and the path leading to Kokiri Forest, Link dismounted from Epona. He then held his hand up to Saria for hers. Saria smiled and took his hand into hers. She then threw her right leg over Epona's saddle and hopped down from the young filly. "That was a wonderful ride... once I got used to it," said Saria, letting go of Link's hand.

"It was," Link agreed. "Flying's the best, but a horse is a great traveling companion."

"So now that we're here, can we go in and see everyone and let them know we're home?" Saria asked.

"As soon as I send Epona back home," Link replied. He then walked up to Epona's long face and gently stroked her muzzle. "Thanks a lot for the ride, girl," he said to the young filly, to which she nickered in response. "You go on home to Malon and we'll call for you in the morning."

And with that, Epona walked back out to the open field. Once there, she took off galloping back toward Lon Lon Ranch. With Epona disappearing over the horizon, Link turned to Saria. "Malon, huh?" said Saria, giving Link a knowing look.

"Malon: Epona is **her** horse. She just let's me take Epona out to ride her, that's all," Link explained. "I told you about Malon many times, remember?"

"Yes, you did. So I guess I'll be meeting her too, along with all your friends in Hyrule as our adventure continues, huh?" said Saria as she and Link made their way into the forest.

"You will, whether our adventure takes us to them or not... trust me," said Link.

Later, Link and Saria emerged from the thick forest into the village. There, they saw many of the Kokiri finishing both their morning chores and even a few of Mido's odd jobs. Saria smiled as she watched them all work so hard to restore at least a fraction the forest's beauty after a witch flying on a broomstick set it afire. Sure she used to see it every day, but seeing it again gave her the complete assurance that she was really home.

"Link! Saria! You're back!" a Kokiri girl hollered as she spotted the two at the village entrance.

Right as she hollered, every Kokiri within earshot stopped whatever chores they were doing and looked up toward the village entrance. When they saw Link and Saria standing at the entrance and waving at them, they suddenly erupted in screams and cheers. Having not seen Link in days for the first time since his arrival home from his last big adventure was enough for them to whoop and holler at his return. But this was the first time that they were without Saria for more than most of the day for as long as any of them could remember. And with Saria having been away for days, it was a huge deal to see her again after being gone for so seemingly long. Little did they know at that moment, it was to be the first few of many days and much more that Saria would be away.

As the Kokiri began running to Link and Saria, their loud cheers grabbed the attention of all the other Kokiri in their homes and the different parts of the village. They too emerged and joined their fellow Kokiri in celebration of Link's and Saria's return home.

"Saria, you've been gone for so long," said Lami, one of the twins.

"We missed seeing you everyday," said Lare, the other twin.

"Where did you disappear to?" Fado wondered. "You've never been away in the Lost Woods for more than a day."

"Didn't you hear?" said Bunto, grabbing Fado's attention. "A lot of us heard that Saria left the forest with Link to go after that witch who set our forest on fire."

The twins and Fado gasped as they heard such an unthinkable rumor. "No way! There's no way that Saria left the forest," said Lami.

"Yeah, Bunto. Everyone knows that Kokiri children can't leave the forest, or we'll die," said Lare.

"And Saria's **still** here and **still **alive," Lami added.

"But Link leaves the forest all the time, and he doesn't die," said one of the Kokiri boys.

"That's because Link's special," said Kalo. "He's the hero who travels around the world and helps people and fights bad guys and stuff."

Despite the ongoing debate, Fado decided to go straight to the source. She turned to Saria and asked, "Saria, did you... you must've... you really did leave the forest... didn't you? It's the only reason you've been gone for days."

Saria looked at every one of them as they all turned to her to await her response. Seeing those anxious looks on their faces was the very reason she didn't want to take all morning to say goodbye and explain to them that she was leaving the forest those days ago. But the rumors had already begun spreading, and questions were already being asked. So Saria really had no choice but to tell them, "Yes, I did leave the forest. I left to join Link and help him in his travels."

"You mean the rumors are true?" said one of the girls as her face lit up.

"You really left the forest and saw the world with Link?" said Kalo.

"And helped Link go after that mean ol' witch who ruined our festival?" Bunto added.

"Yes. Just like Link, I just couldn't stay here and let that witch get away with it," Saria replied, going along with the rumors that were going around. In her heart, Saria knew it was only a small part of the truth. The rest, however, would have to remain unsaid to the others until she was ready. She loved Link and worried a lot about him, and wanted to do anything to help him defeat this evil.

"So what was it like outside the forest?" one of the younger girls asked.

"Come on now. Link's already told us stories about the world outside the forest," said one of the Know-It-All Brothers.

"But we want to hear what Saria saw," said Lami.

"And what **she** thinks of the outside world," Lare added.

"Hold on, wait a second here," Mido's voice thundered over the others, having heard enough of it. Everyone turned their attention to him. "Come on, now. We all know the stories of what happens when we get lost in the forest or leave the forest. We become Stalfos, big scary monsters will eat us, or we even just fall down and die. We all know Growing Boy had no fairy 'til now, is growing up, and can leave the forest 'cause he's a freak. There's just no way that a seemingly normal girl like Saria could've left the forest too, right?"

"But how else could Saria have been gone for days?" Bunto wondered.

"Yeah, Brother Mido. You know that even Saria doesn't stay in the Lost Woods alone at night," said the short and stout boy from Mido's posse.

"I know she left the forest, you idiots. Who do you think started that rumor?" said Mido as he facepalmed at their comments. Then, he looked back at the crowd and continued. "What I meant to say was we know that Kokiri can't leave the forest, or at least we aren't supposed to. I never wondered why **he** can't leave and not die. But if Saria can leave the forest and come back alive, then maybe it's not because we **can't** leave the forest, but not **allowed** to leave the forest."

"I get it now," said the lankiest of his posse boys.

"You say it, Brother Mido," said the stoutest.

"I mean, why is it that not only Growing Boy can leave the forest, but **Saria** can leave the forest, and **we** can't, huh?" Mido questioned.

"You know, Mido has a point," said Bunto. And all of a sudden, the crowd erupted into a dull roar as the confused Kokiri began discussing, questioning, and agreeing with Mido's little speech.

"I told you that this would happen when you left the forest," said Spryte. "They'd start questioning why you can leave the forest and they can't. Even the Great Deku Sprout told you so."

"I know, Spryte. I was afraid of it too," Saria somberly said as she began lamenting. "Goddesses, how am I gonna explain it to them?"

"**Because**... Saria is a very special Kokiri," the Great Deku Sprout's voice suddenly thundered throughout the village, silencing all in the forest with his response and grabbing their attention. "And thou all know this, even thee, Mido. Thou must not question why thou cannot leave this forest, for thou hast heard the stories that my predecessor hath told thee."

"But Great Deku Sprout, I know... we know... that Saria's a great girl and we all like her and everything, but how is it that she's special enough to leave the forest and see the world with Link?" Mido asked.

"My dear Mido, listen to the words that I have to say to all of thee. Saria is special in ways that even **she** doesn't realize, and in ways that thou may never be able to understand," the Great Deku Sprout explained. "This forest hath seen peace and tranquility for many generations, despite the evil and fighting that hath fallen upon the rest of the world. But in a time when evil befalls even our peaceful forest, I felt that perhaps the time hath come for Saria to realize just how special she really is, and realize the role she will serve both in this forest and beyond. Thus, Saria is like our ambassador to the outside world, the one Kokiri other than Link who can leave the forest to represent the Kokiri Children and share our plight with the world."

"I see," Mido more humbly responded, with many of the other Kokiri sharing his understanding. But, he still wondered, and looked back toward the Great Deku Sprout's Meadow. "But... if Saria is the one who can leave the forest to represent us, then why can Link leave too? I always thought it was because..."

"I know what thou hast thought, my dear Mido. My predecessor has known thee since the Goddesses brought you to the forest. But the reason that Link can leave the forest is because his destiny, although very different from Saria's, also lies outside the bounds of this forest, while thy destiny lies here within the forest."

"I get it now," said Mido, and then started thinking to himself. 'Man, and I thought he could leave because he was a no-fairy, growing freak of a Kokiri.'

"It's so cool that Saria can leave the forest and see the world just like Link can," said Kalo.

"So Saria, tell us what it's like outside the forest," said Lami as she turned to Saria.

"Tell us about everything you saw," said Lare.

"Well... I kinda want to go to the Lost Woods while there's still plenty of daylight," Saria replied, much to the disapproval of the other Kokiri as they all moaned. "But... I'll tell you my story tonight after dinner, okay?"

"Promise, Saria?" the strawberry blonde Mimi asked.

Saria smiled, "Yes, I promise."

The Kokiri cheered in anticipation of Saria's amazing story of her thoughts of the outside world. And as they began to disperse and happily carry on with their remaining chores, Link turned to Saria. "I'll meet you there later, at our secret place, okay?"

"Sure, Link. I'll see you there," Saria replied. And as Link turned and ran off toward his house, Saria smiled, closed her eyes, and thought to herself, 'Thank you, Great Deku Sprout... for covering for me.'

_Early that afternoon, the Sacred Forest Meadow..._

After helping out with a couple of odd chores, and stopping by both the Kokiri Forest Shop and his house, Link traveled through the Lost Woods on his way to meet Saria. When he neared the Sacred Forest Meadow, he followed a sweet and upbeat melody from Saria's ocarina all the way to their secret place at the old stump by the Forest Temple. Upon reaching her, he stood and smiled as she finished her song.

"It's amazing how you two seem to meet here like this all the time," Navi commented.

"Yes it is," Link agreed.

After finishing her song, Saria glanced up from her ocarina. "Oh hi, Link," she happily greeted. "Did Mido have more odd chores for some of the others and they wanted your help to finish them?"

"You know he did," Link wryly replied.

"Well... come, sit... relax," said Saria as she scooted near the edge of the large stump and patted on a spot to her left for Link to sit. Link gladly took Saria up on the offer and sat right next to his best friend.

"It's been a wild adventure so far, eh Saria?" said Link.

"Yeah, you can say that again," Saria replied. "It's so wonderful outside the forest, full of all kinds of wonderful sights and sounds, and so many interesting people. But, I can see why the Great Deku Sprout said it was dangerous out there."

"That's because Twinrova and now Phantom Ganon are running all over Hyrule," said Link. "The world isn't **that** dangerous when everything is peaceful."

"I guess you're right. But, no matter how dangerous it gets, at least I'm with you," said Saria, tilting her head and smiling.

"Of course, we're in this together," Link agreed, returning her smile.

Saria then stretched her arms. "It sure feels great to be home again with familiar surroundings and familiar people," she happily said before putting her ocarina away in its protective bag.

"Yes it does," Link agreed. "Why do you think I keep coming back here whenever I can?"

"Because you can't stand to be away from me," Saria casually teased with a mischievous smirk, and then broke out giggling.

Link glared at her, knowing she had gotten him. But that glare didn't last long as he too started smiling, and then explained, "Well, you were half the reason. The other half is that home is a place where you can unwind, relax, and get away from it all. And after visiting home, you feel refreshed and ready to take on anything."

"So home's the best place to rest, huh?" Saria reiterated.

"You bet," Link replied.

After a short pause, as various thoughts of their adventure flowed through their minds like a river after a rain, Saria spoke up. "I just can't believe the Gorons were attacked too... on the same day **our **village was attacked."

"Yeah, it amazed me how well they coordinated it, hitting all three of our homes at the same time, and then stayed and waited until someone showed up with a Spiritual Stone," said Link.

"But at least you chased that witch away from our village, her sister away from the Zoras, and that phantom man away from the Gorons," said Saria. "I bet they weren't expecting you to show up."

"Right. But, I know that's not the last we've seen of them. I'm sure we're gonna see them again. The question is: when?" said Link.

"And what about that evil Link?" Saria wondered, thinking back to dark figure posing as Link and the resulting battle. "Do you think he's after the Spiritual Stones like Twinrova and that phantom man are?"

Link thought back on Dark Link. He thought about not only the recent battle in Kakariko Village, but also his other battle with Dark Link in a completely different part of the world. "No... I don't think Dark Link is with Twinrova," he replied. "I think he's the same Dark Link who I fought back at that pirates' tower so far away when I rescued Navi from him."

"I agree. I felt the same aura from that Dark Link as the other one," said Navi. "But why would he show up now?"

"I don't know, but he's been plundering Kakariko Village for at least a week before Twinrova showed up, so I'm sure I would've had to worry about him anyway," said Link. "I do know this... if Twinrova's after the Spiritual Stones and seeks to release Ganondorf, then it's natural they'd be after the Ocarina of Time as well."

"But **you** have the Ocarina of Time. Isn't it safe with you?" Saria wondered.

"Well... yes and no. I may be holding onto it, but what if Twinrova finds out that I have it? Then they'll be chasing us all over Hyrule to get it. And if something happens to me, then **they** have the Ocarina of time and can get to the Master Sword and the Sacred Realm," Link explained.

"Yes... I see your point. So what are we gonna do about the Ocarina of Time?" Saria wondered.

"We're gonna go to the castle and see Zelda just like the Great Deku Sprout told us to," Link replied. "I'm sure he wanted me to see her to let her know what's gone on and to seek her guidance, just like during my first adventure. But now, we need her help in finding a safe place for the Ocarina of Time."

"I understand. So when do we leave?" said Saria.

"Hopefully in the morning when we get our invitations from her," Link replied.

"Okay. I don't mind staying home for the night," said Saria. "I guess I'd better enjoy it while I can, huh?"

And so the two forest youths sat on the stump together, wondering what to do for the rest of the afternoon they had together before supper. "Oh, Saria... I almost forgot, I have something for you," said Link as it hit him.

"Really? So that's what **else** took you so long to get here, huh?" Saria teased. "So what'd you get for me?"

"Just a second, Saria," Link replied as he reached into his item bag and fished for his gift to Saria. After fumbling around inside, he extracted a wooden crossbow from his item bag and presented it to Saria.

Saria gasped as her eyes fixated on the strange object. "Wow! What is that?"

"This is a crossbow," Link replied. "It's smaller than my fairy bow and, at times, is easier to shoot."

"A bow, huh? Cool," said Saria as she took the crossbow into her hands and began to examine it. It was indeed smaller than Link's fairy bow, and made of a very strong wood similar to that of his fairy bow. So it was lightweight and easy for Saria to hold and carry. It also had a long stock that had an s-curve about two-thirds to the end to form a grip, and had a butt attached to the end for resting against the shoulder while aiming. And last, it had two metal levers: One for drawing the bowstring, and the other acting as a trigger to fire its projectile. Saria was certainly amazed at its craftsmanship. "It looks great, Link. Where'd you get it?" she wondered.

"Ohhh... I made it," Link casually replied.

"You did?" an astonished Saria and Spryte said in unison.

"Yep. The guards in Labrynna in the present used crossbows like this one. I wanted to try one for myself, but the guards wouldn't let me get a hold of one," said Link.

"So you made your own, huh?" said Saria.

"Uh-huh. I managed to get a hold of a broken one. The stock and the prods were broken. But, I was able to use the levers and ratchet from it and started making my own," Link explained. "I actually didn't finish it until I came back home after finding Navi. And after I finally finished it, I tried it. It's certainly an easy-to-use bow and is especially useful for someone who's never used a bow before. And it's easy to aim too since the ratchet is what's holding the bowstring and not your hand. But, it takes longer to draw the bowstring since you gotta use that lever to draw it. So I can't shoot it as fast as I can with my fairy bow. But it's smaller and easier to use... and it's just as strong as my fairy bow, if not stronger... so I like it."

"Brilliant," Saria commented as she held the front of the bow in her right hand and the grip in her left. "But... why are you giving me this crossbow if you like it so much and spent so much time making it?"

"Because, you really helped be back in Goron City when you shot Phantom Ganon in the face and allowed me to hit him. You deserve a strong weapon like this crossbow," said Link. "I like this crossbow a lot, but I think it would be more useful for you than for me."

"Why... thank you, Link," she gasped, smiling warmly.

"It's my way of saying thank you and I could really use more of your help as we continue on our adventure," said Link.

Saria's only response was a smile. Helping him on his adventure was why she wanted to accompany him. And during the last few days, she'd been a great help to Link. Then, she turned back to her new crossbow. "So how do I shoot this thing?"

"Well, see that lever on the right side of the stock?" said Link, pointing to said lever. "You grab that and crank back and forth three times to pull the bowstring."

"Okay," Saria acknowledged.

"And then you load one of these bolts into that slot against the bowstring," Link continued as he pulled out a small quiver of shorter and heavier arrows out of his item bag and set it next to Saria. "Then, you aim and gently squeeze that other lever to shoot."

"Wow, it's really that easy, huh?" Saria commented. "And this thing is for lefties too."

"Of course it is. It's a good thing we're both left-handed, or I wouldn't have been able to give you that bow," said Link.

"Yeah, or you wouldn't be able to make another one, would you?" Saria agreed. "Can I take a practice shot?"

"Sure. But what are you gonna shoot?" Link wondered.

"Well, I don't want to shoot any trees," said Saria as she thought about it for a second. "How 'bout your shield?"

"Now that's an idea," said Link. He removed his ornate blue and silver Hylian Shield from his back and held it in his hands. "I'll just set this on that Deku stick over there."

Link hopped down from the stump and took his shield across the Sacred Forest Meadow. In moments, he reached the lone Deku stick lying in the grass and picked it up. He jammed the end of it into the ground and rested his shield on top of it. Once the makeshift target was set, he turned and walked back over to Saria.

As Link was returning, Saria held the grip of her new crossbow in her left hand and grasped the ratchet lever in her right. She then pushed on the lever, finding the somewhat moderate resistance surprisingly easy to live with, and cranked it three times as Link had instructed. She then took a bolt from the quiver and loaded it into the groove in the stock and rested it against the bowstring.

When Link made it to her side, she raised the crossbow, resting the front of it in her right hand and the butt of the stock against her left shoulder, and aimed at Link's shield across the meadow. Just like with target shooting with her slingshot, Saria relaxed and aimed the tip of the bolt barely above the shield. She then took a deep but gentle breath and slowly squeezed the trigger lever, firing the bolt and easily connecting with the Triforce symbol at the top of the shield.

"Nice shot, Saria," Link commended.

"Thanks Link, but I was aiming for the middle of your shield. I thought the arrow would drop a little more than that," said Saria.

"Well, that's because arrows, whether they're my arrows or your heavier bolts, don't fall quite as fast as Deku seeds do," Link explained. "That was still a very good shot for someone who's never used a bow before. See how easy that crossbow is to use?"

"Oh yes, very easy. Thank you so much, Link," Saria happily replied as she took her crossbow and slipped it easily into the small sack hanging on the right side her hip.

"You're welcome, Sar...," Link replied, and then abruptly stopped, his eyes bugging and mouth hanging open, when he saw just where Saria had put her crossbow. "What did you... did you just... what is... is... is that a little magical sack just like mine?"

"It sure is, Link," Saria replied. "You're just now noticing it?"

"Well, yeah. I was wondering how you were carrying so much food so easily," Link commented, mentally kicking himself for being so dense. "That's so brilliant. You got an item bag just like mine. Where'd you get it?"

"Where else? From the Great Deku Sprout," Saria replied with a smirk.

"Cool! Just like the Great Deku Tree gave me mine before I first left the forest, right?" said Link.

"Uh-huh," Saria replied as she began explaining. "After he allowed me to leave the forest, I turned to go back to my house. But then he stopped me and gave me this item bag. He told me that it was the same kind of magical bag that the Great Deku Tree gave to you. He said that with it, I could carry so much food, clothes, and other stuff that I needed on my adventure with you."

"Wow, just like me," Link commented. "I guess the Great Deku Sprout really likes to make sure his children can survive outside the forest, huh?"

"Uh-huh. Right now, I'm carrying some food that I'd gotten back at Kakariko Village, my rupee wallet, my slingshot, my Deku Seed bag, some Deku Nuts, a quill, some ink and parchment, a few books, my new crossbow, and most of my clothes," Saria listed. She then paused to catch her breath. "Yep. I'm a full-fledged adventurer, just like you."

"Full-fledged indeed," Link agreed before the contents of her item bag hit him. "You sure are carrying an awful lot of clothes. I only brought a few outfits, that's all."

"That's because I'm a girl, silly. I don't wear the same shorts and shirts and tunics for two or three days straight like you filthy boys do," Saria teased. "I like changing my clothes everyday and bathing often."

"True, but when you're exploring the outside world, you can't bathe everyday like you do back home and end up wearing the same outfits until you find a place to bathe and wash your filthy clothes," said Link. "Trust me, we've been lucky so far and not had to go without a bath or doing laundry for days and weeks... yet."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Saria. "I was only kidding, 'ya know."

"Right. I'm just so glad to have you with me, saving villages and fighting evil," said Link. "It's so great that the Great Deku Sprout made you a representative of Kokiri Forest to the outside world."

"Thanks, Link, but... he didn't make me an ambassador or anything like that," said Saria. "I just wanted to leave the forest because I wanted to be with you. I couldn't take you coming and going all the time anymore, so all I could do was come with you and help you. I think the reasons he let me leave the forest was because I'm the Forest Sage and am growing up. He only said that I was an ambassador so the others would stop wondering why I can leave the forest and they can't."

"I see now. I thought that the others would start asking questions once **you** left the forest too," said Link.

"Well, Saria, maybe there was some truth in everything he was saying. Maybe you really are special in ways that you don't even realize quite yet," said Spryte. "The Great Deku Sprout knows these things, you know."

"Maybe, but I'm really no ambassador," Saria replied, and then turned to Link. "Link, you're the one who represents us Kokiri outside the forest."

"Come on, Saria. We both know that I'm not a Kokiri. That's why I was always able to leave the forest, and why I'm no representative of the Kokiri," Link sadly disputed.

"But you are, Link," Navi argued. "How many people in Hyrule, including Zelda, know you as the fairy boy from the forest?"

Link responded only with silence, knowing in his heart that Navi was right.

"Face it, Link. You're not just the Hero of Time. You also represent the Kokiri children despite your Hylian blood. You were raised here and still call Kokiri Forest your home," Navi continued.

"Alright, alright, I get it," said Link, hearing enough of just how much of a Kokiri he really was. He then turned back to Saria and asked, "So what do you want to do for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Ohhh...," Saria replied as she thought about it for a second. "How 'bout we do some more target practice with your fairy bow and my new crossbow?"

"Sure, I like shooting targets with you," said Link. "Why don't we go to the Deku's shooting target and maybe win us some rupees while we're at it. We haven't shot there in weeks 'cause of the festival and all."

"Alright," Saria replied before she hopped down from the stump. She then grabbed the quiver of bolts and strapped it to her belt, letting it hang on the left side of her hip in front of her ocarina bag. "Let's go."

Link walked over to his shield, grabbed it from the Deku stick it stood on, and then joined Saria. The two forest youths then left the Sacred Forest Meadow and made their way toward the Deku's shooting target.

_That evening..._

Dinner for the Kokiri remained somewhat uneventful, despite being without Link and Saria for days. But it was after dinner that the Kokiri were so looking forward to, as Saria had promised them her stories of what she saw outside the forest.

So with the summer sun having just set and dusk falling over the forest, all the Kokiri gathered at the bottom of the hill that led to the Lost Woods. Link too sat down with the other Kokiri between Kalo and Fado, wanting to hear Saria's story along with them. Sure, he was there when she saw everything, but he was very curious of how she would tell the story. Once everyone had gathered and taken their seats, Saria took her place near the top of the hill and looked upon each and every Kokiri. Her time in the spotlight had come.

"Come on, Saria, tell us what it's like outside the forest," Fado impatiently said.

"Tell us what you saw," said Mimi.

"What did you think of your first time outside the forest?" Bunto asked.

Saria smiled and held up her left hand, silencing the curious Kokiri so she could tell her story. "Well, when I first stepped foot outside the forest, I saw this really huge field with lots of grass as far as the eye can see. I could even see the ground meet the sky in the distance. Not only that, I saw the whole sky all around me. I could look in every direction and see every cloud in the sky. There isn't a clearing in this forest where you could see the whole sky without the trees being in the way. You would have to climb to the tops of the trees just to see all of it like I did outside the forest."

"Brilliant," Fado commented.

"So amazing," Mimi agreed.

"How big is that field?" Kalo wondered.

"It's huge, bigger than even the Lost Woods," Saria explained. "Not only could I see the grass and trees and bushes as far as I could see, but it took me and Link over a day of walking and running just to reach a village to the north. And Link tells me that we only saw a small part of that field. So I can only imagine about how huge it really is."

"My goddesses, that's so huge," said one of the other girls. "I bet it'd take you and Link weeks just to see all of it."

"Yeah, probably," Saria agreed.

"You saw another village?" said Lami.

"What kind of people were they?" Lare wondered.

"Well, we actually visited two villages," Saria explained. "The first village sat between a bunch of tall hills, well protected from most of the evil and fighting of the world. There were all kinds of people in that village, from children to grown-ups, and even a lady who kept a lot of cuccos. The houses in that village were all square-shaped, unlike our huge hollow tree-stumps. The whole village was simply amazing to look at."

"And what about the other village?" Mido curiously wondered.

"Yeah, Brother Mido wants to know," said one of his posse boys.

"Patience, patience, boys. Let me tell the story," Saria playfully chided. "But, to get to the other village, Link and I had to walk for hours and hours up a very high and treacherous mountain. The mountain threw monsters and rocks and even part of itself at us to slow us down. We weren't even halfway to where the second village was and we were already like twenty times higher than the tops of the trees here in the forest. We could see so much farther away than we could when we were on the ground in the field. And the first village looked so tiny from where we were."

Every Kokiri gasped as Saria described their ascent up Death Mountain and how high they really were. Yet, Saria continued. "This village was inside the mountain, much like ours is inside the forest. It was just... huge. It went so far down in the ground, I swear it must've taken years for the people to dig it. But the people there, called the Gorons, looked so much different than us and the people in the other village. They were rather chubby, with strong arms and legs and wide faces with black beady eyes and big lips. But when I met them, they were really no different than us. They do chores just like we do, they love to sing and dance, they love to play, and they hold festivals of their own. It's just so great meeting so many interesting people out there."

"And these people, do they ever leave their villages?" one of the boys asked. And all fell silent as they awaited Saria's response. Did the people of the other villages ever leave, or were they like the Kokiri and never left their villages? Needless to say, the Kokiri were eagerly curious.

Saria, however, had to think of an answer and fast. She didn't want to reignite their desires to leave the forest and get them asking questions again. She knew the people of Kakariko Village often left and returned anytime they wanted. But then she thought about the Gorons, and the answers fell right into her lap.

"Well, Link and I spent a day at each of these other villages. And during the time we were there, no one who wasn't a visitor like us ever left their village," Saria explained. "Just like us, they have everything they need right their in their villages. The first village had all kinds of nearby farms and markets where they could get their food. And the Gorons always stay in their village or on the mountain. Sure these villages get visitors like what few times we do, but just like us, they all stay close to home... free from the dangers and evils that Link and I have run into... dangers that the Great Deku Tree and Great Deku Sprout have told stories to us about. They just... don't ever need to leave their villages. Just like us... they have everything they need... right there."

"So cool... to hear about the outside world from the Great Deku Sprout, Link, and now Saria," said one of the boys.

"Yeah, it's great that Link and Saria can leave and brave the world to bring us these stories," Fado agreed.

"Who needs to leave the forest when Saria can do it for us?" said Mido. "I don't care if we can't leave."

Saria let out a huge sigh of relief as they all bought her story. There was a lot of truth to her story, so she didn't feel completely guilty about having to taint that wonderful story with a lie. After all, it was for their own good.

Spryte, however, gently patted her on the shoulder, reassuring her, "Well said, Saria. Well said. At least now you can tell your stories and not get them too curious. The Great Deku Sprout's proud of you, I just know it."

"Thanks, Spryte," said Saria, smiling at her guardian fairy. She then turned back to the Kokiri and continued on with her story. In the few days that she was gone, she had seen so many amazing things. And it took much of the evening for her to share her story. But this would only be the beginning of Saria's travels, and she knew it. As long as she could leave the forest and travel the world, she would bring home all kinds of amazing stories of the outside world.

_end of chapter 16  
_

_

* * *

_

Now how is that for a more relaxing chapter to break from the heartache and action of the last few chapters? It's good to go back home, relax, and be with friends once in a while during long and dangerous adventures. There weren't very many warm and fuzzy moments or any real action in this chapter, which was appropriate for a visit back home. I originally wanted to have this chapter posted right before Christmas as my final chapter for 2010, but it took quite a bit longer than that for two reasons: 1) Computer issues, and 2) The holidays. On top of that, it also ended up a rather long chapter for being a bit of a breather. I did have a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Trust me, the next few chapters are gonna be really fun reads. So keep your eyes on my profile where I post regular updates on my projects. As always, reviews are more than welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun, Zelda fans, and good night,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	18. Chapter 17: A Real Field Day

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 17

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Last chapter was so awe... actually, it was a little mellower than my previous chapters. Not a lot of action happened, not did a lot of lovey dovey moments. It's nice to have a breather once in a while. So next... Read and find out.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 17: A Real Field Day

"Mail call!" a man's voice bellowed just outside of Link's door, accompanied by the sound of knocking against his door frame.

"Ungh... too early," Link moaned as he turned over in his bed, with his back to the door. He ignored the man at his door and tried to slip back into sleep.

"Hello, Mr. Link?" the man summoned as he continued knocking on the door frame.

Unable to ignore the knocking, Link tossed again and threw his pillow over his head to block out the noise. But not only did the man disturb Link's sleep, he also woke Navi from whatever pleasant dream that she was having. She sat up in her bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as the man started knocking again. When she opened her eyes, she found the forest outside Link's window to be rather dimly lit. "Ugh... Link's right. It's **way** too early. The sun's not even rising yet," she muttered to herself as she fluttered up from her basket bed. "The cucco won't crow for at least another hour or so."

Navi flew over to the door and slipped in between the frame and curtain. There, she saw the tall and lanky man dressed in a white tunic and carrying a brown sack, the trademark of Hyrule's postmen. "Hey! Listen, don't you think it's a little early to be waking a child of Kokiri Forest from his sleep?" she scolded. "You're probably waking some of the other children here too."

"Oh, I'm sorry, little fairy. I was told by the Princess herself to deliver this letter to Link early in the morning so I could catch him before he departs," the postman explained.

"I see. Well, I'm his guardian fairy. I'll take it to him," said Navi as she took the sealed envelope from the postman's hand.

"Alright. Thank you, little fairy," the postman replied before he turned around. He scurried down the ladder and, in no time at all, sped off through the village and out of sight.

Navi let out a sigh. 'Princess Zelda... she obviously doesn't know Link like I do. He almost never even wakes up this early, much less prepare to leave the forest,' she thought to herself as she slipped back inside.

"Mmm... did I get a letter?" Link sleepily asked as he started to toss the sheets off of him.

"Yes, dear. But go back to sleep. It's not quite dawn yet," said Navi as she set the letter on the table, far out of Link's reach from the bed.

"Nah, I'm already awake now. I wanna read the letter," he groaned.

"You can read it after the cucco crows. You need your rest before you and Saria head out. So relax and go back to sleep," Navi ordered as she grabbed Link's sheets and tucked him back in.

"Oh alright, Navi," Link reluctantly surrendered.

"Be thankful and enjoy this while you can, because it's very rare that I let you sleep in," said Navi. And for the next hour, Link and Navi both took their early morning nap without a care in the world. Link fell asleep very quickly, while Navi took much longer to drift into sleep. Neither the letter, their appointment with Zelda, nor the evil looming over Hyrule weighed on their minds as they slept.

Just over an hour later, right as the sun began to peek over the horizon to light up the morning sky, the forest's resident cucco let out an eardrum-shattering crow. And as its crow resonated throughout the village as well as the rest of the forest, Navi awoke from her short nap. She once again stretched her arms and flapped her wings like a bird stretching, and then rubbed the sleep from her eyes. When she flapped her wings to flutter up from her basket bed, she found Link still asleep and dead to the world. "Why am I not surprised that the cucco didn't wake you?" she said to no one in particular.

She flew down next to Link's face and took a deep breath. "Link, sleep-in's over. Time to wake up," she bellowed.

"Mmm... alright," Link moaned in response. He slowly tossed the sheets off of him and sat up in his bed. Much like Navi, Link stretched and scratched his back as he woke up. He then tossed his legs over the side of the bed and let them hang to the ground. "Alright, I'm up now. How 'bout that letter that came to me?" said Link. "Can I read it now?"

"Okay, dear," Navi replied. She flew over to Link's table where the letter sat and grabbed it. "But after you read it, you need to get dressed, eat, and get ready to meet up with Saria to leave."

Link took the envelope addressed to him and inspected the wax seal bearing the crest of the Royal Family. He broke the seal to open the envelope and extracted the letter from it. He then unfolded it and, recognizing Zelda's handwriting, began to read it:

..

"_Dear Link,_

_I received your letter and heard from Impa about everything that has been going on in the last week. I too have sensed the evil that has once again fallen over Hyrule. I am very sorry to hear about what happened to not only your beloved forest, but also the homes of the Zoras and Gorons. My heart goes out to you, and it warms me to hear that everyone is okay. However, I sadly feel that this is only the beginning._

_I would like for us to share in more detail everything that you and I have both sensed and experienced, and to discuss the evil that has once again fallen over our beloved Hyrule. Therefore, I have enclosed two of my official invitations to the Castle, one for you, and one for your friend, so you don't have to sneak inside to see me. I eagerly await your arrival. Do be very careful on your way here, as I fear that evil will not rest as we do._

_Sincerely,_

_Zelda, Princess of Hyrule"_

_..  
_

"I figured that Zelda would know about what was going on, even without you sending her that letter yesterday," said Navi.

Link nodded in agreement as he reached into the envelope and extracted two folded decorative parchments, adorned with purple ribbons and the seal of the Royal Family. "I guess these are Saria's and my invitations to the castle," he commented.

"Well, with this meeting being so important, I'm sure that Zelda didn't want you wasting time sneaking both yourself and Saria past the guards," said Navi. "I know how much fun you had the last time you snuck into the castle."

"Yeah, yeah," Link sarcastically replied. "Let me get dressed so we can eat and get going."

"Alright, dear. I'll go tell the Great Deku Sprout," said Navi before she turned around and left Link's house.

_An hour later..._

After having a wonderful breakfast of fruits, bread, and Lon Lon Milk, Link grabbed his sword and shield and strapped them both to his back. He then grabbed some extra food, arrows, Deku Nuts, and other supplies and stored them neatly in his item bag. Link did not know how long he and Saria would be away from home this time. Of course they were going to visit again whenever the opportunity arose, but Link wasn't counting on it. Despite the fact that they were going to the castle, he decided to pack some extra supplies just in case.

With everything he needed all neatly packed, Link doused his lanterns and walked outside. There, a number of Kokiri had already begun their morning chores, cleaning up outside their houses. Link climbed down his ladder and walked toward Saria's house. Right as he was about to step onto her front lawn, Saria emerged from her house, accompanied by Spryte. "Oh... good morning, Saria," Link greeted, surprised by her sudden appearance.

"Good morning, Link," Saria replied. "Navi told me that the Princess sent her invitations. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure am. I even brought some extra stuff this time," Link replied.

"You guys are leaving already?" Mimi said from behind Link.

Link turned around to see not only the young freckle-faced strawberry blonde starring at him and Saria, but also a lot of the other Kokiri that had gathered with her.

"Yes, we need to leave so we can go see the Princess so she can help us with getting that witch," Link explained.

"Wow! Link and Saria are gonna see the princess," Bunto commented excitedly. He, along with the other Kokiri, was obviously amazed by the fact that their ambassadors were going to see the same princess whom the Great Deku Tree and Great Deku Sprout had told many wonderful stories about.

"Say hi to her for us," said Lami, one of the twins.

"And please tell us stories about the Princess and her castle when you get home," Lare, the other twin, added.

"Link, how long are you and Saria gonna be gone?" Kalo asked as he approached Link with a bit of a sad face. "When are we gonna practice swords again with each other?"

"I don't know, little buddy," Link sadly replied. "I'd love to stay and practice, but we need to protect this forest and go after that witch. We'll be back to visit as soon as we can, and I promise we'll practice again when we do."

"I understand... but, please come home soon," said Kalo, looking up at Link with his pleading blue eyes.

"We're gonna miss you guys," Lami and Lare said in unison as they threw themselves at Link and Saria, with Lami hugging Saria and Lare hugging Link.

"We'll miss you girls too," said Saria, returning Lami's hug. "We'll miss all of you and think about everyone lots and lots."

"Girls, we kinda have to go now," said Link after returning Lare's hug. The twins reluctantly let go and rejoined the rest of the Kokiri.

"Goodbye, Link. Goodbye, Saria," the twins said together, waving at the two adventurers.

"Goodbye, everyone," Saria replied, waving back. "We'll be back someday, we promise."

"You keep practicing your swordplay 'til I come back, okay, Kalo?" said Link before he turned to join Saria.

"Alright, Link," Kalo replied, also waving goodbye.

Having finally said their goodbyes, Link and Saria turned to the village entrance and began to make their way out. After leaving the village and crossing the rope bridge, Saria turned her head to face Link. "Well, at least we gave them a proper goodbye this time," she commented. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be."

"It's not always that bad, but I still don't like having to say goodbye, especially long ones," said Link.

"Well, since we said goodbye, and everyone bid us farewell, let's get going so we can see Princess Zelda," suggested Saria.

Upon that suggestion, Link and Saria took off jogging through the forest. They carefully navigated the rough and twisty path through the thickest parts of the forest that would get any casual traveler lost. Soon, they reached the edge of the forest and entered the vast Hylian Field.

Outside of a lot more clouds scattered throughout the morning sky, much of the scenery looked as beautiful as when Saria had first left the forest. There was more of a breeze coming from the west than in the last few days, and the air felt somewhat cool for being an early-summer day.

"Beautiful day for a horse ride, eh Saria?" Link commented as he reached for his fairy ocarina.

"It sure is," Saria agreed, also reaching for her ocarina.

They raised their tan fairy ocarinas to their lips. With Link tapping his right foot to the song's rhythm, he and Saria played their duet version of _"Epona's Song"_. As they played the song, Saria thought about how wonderful the song was to hear in the morning. It was gentle and pastoral, perfect for the current setting. So she noted it in the back of her mind for future reference as they continued playing.

When they finished the song, they turned to each other. "So... shall we walk toward the castle while we wait for Epona?" suggested Saria.

"Of course," Link replied. They put their ocarinas away in their item bags and began their long walk toward Hyrule Castle. Suddenly, something that Link had forgotten about hit him like a well-thrown rock. "Oh Saria, I almost forgot to give this to you."

He reached into his item bag, fumbled around in it, and easily extracted Saria's invitation from Zelda to the castle. "You're gonna need this to get in the castle," he said, handing the folded piece of ornate parchment to her.

"Thanks, Link," Saria replied. She took the invitation and slipped it into her own item bag for safe keeping, and then turned back to Link. "I heard that the postman brought these to you very early."

"Yeah, he woke me up... knocking on my door way before sunrise," Link commented, still somewhat peeved over losing sleep because of that early morning mail call. "I need to put a mailbox next to the bottom of my ladder next time we go home."

"Now that's an idea. At least you'll be able to sleep in without any crazy postmen waking you up," Saria teased.

Link gave Saria a playful whap to the upper arm in response to her jest. Saria, however, only giggled. "What? It's true," she said.

Soon, Epona appeared over the horizon and quickly approached the young adventurers. "Good morning, Epona," Saria kindly greeted.

"Told 'ya I'd call on you in the morning, girl," Link said to the young filly as he greeted her with a gentle stroke of her muzzle, to which she happily whinnied in response. He then grasped the saddle horn and quickly leaped up onto the mount. Once settled, he held his left hand out to Saria and helped her up.

"Ready, Saria?" Link asked.

Saria wrapped her arms tightly around Link's waist, and then replied, "I'm ready, Link."

Link lightly tugged on the reins and steered Epona toward the northwest. He then gave the reins a quick snap and Epona a sharp kick to the side. Epona took off at full gallop toward the castle with little effort, despite carrying two passengers instead of one.

Saria found this ride on Epona to be much easier than when they had ridden home yesterday. She had grown more accustomed to both Epona's speed and the rough up and down motions. So she was able to keep her eyes open for the whole ride and quietly take in the scenery all around them.

Suddenly, barely a third of the way to their destination, Epona slowed to a walk. Saria began looking all around her, wondering why they suddenly slowed down. Seeing nothing but the cloudy sky and the hilly terrain around them, Saria turned to Link. "Link, what's wrong? Why'd we slow down?"

"I don't know," Link replied as he too was looking around. "All of a sudden, this strange feeling came over me... like we're being followed or watched or something."

"But... I don't see anything," said Saria, continuing to look all around them. "All I see are the grass and the hills."

"I'm starting to feel a little uneasy too, Link," said Navi. "Let's just pick up the pace and get to the castle. I don't want to stay here and find out why we're getting this feeling."

"Right. Let's just go," Link agreed. But just as he was about to take off again, a dark figure suddenly leaped up from out of the ground right in front of them. Epona, spooked by the dark figure's sudden appearance, shrieked and reared. Unable to respond quickly enough to Epona's sudden reaction, Link and Saria both fell backward off of Epona and hit the grass below, with Link landing on top of Saria.

"Oww... that's gonna leave a mark," Link grunted.

"Link, could you please move? Your shield's crushing my chest," Saria groaned, trying to push him off.

Link rolled to his right, off of Saria, and onto his hands and knees. Then, after catching his breath from that sudden physical and psychological shock, he turned to Saria. "Are you okay, Saria?"

"No, that hurt," Saria sarcastically grunted in response as she slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position. "I think I'll be fine. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Link replied. He then stood back up and helped Saria to her feet. "What in blazes was that thing that just came out of nowhere and spooked Epona?"

"Link, Epona's in trouble!" Navi screamed, accompanied by the nearby screaming and whinnying of Epona.

Link and Saria turned toward Epona's desperate cries for help and discovered the dark figure riding on Epona. Epona jerked left and right, reared, and bucked as hard as she could like a crazed bronco to try and throw the unwanted rider. Despite her efforts, the dark figure stayed mounted like a rodeo cowboy.

"You've got to get him off of her," Saria cried, feeling Epona's despair. "Can't you shoot him with your bow?"

"I can't, I'll hit Epona. She's moving too wildly," said Link, fearful for his equine friend. So Link thought quickly and ran toward Epona, hoping to catch her before the thief could break her and make off with her.

As Link neared the bucking Epona, the dark figure suddenly leaped off of her, flipping backward through the air, and made a perfect 10-point landing. Free of the unwanted rider, Epona galloped away as fast as her legs could carry her. Then, the dark figure turned directly to Link, showing his dark charcoal skin, dark bluish-black tunic and hat, and glowing red eyes.

Link gasped at the sight of this very familiar opponent, "Dark Link!"

"Again? Here?" a flabbergasted Navi commented.

"How... dare he scare Epona like that," Link growled as the initial shock quickly subsided. He drew his modified Kokiri Sword and grabbed his ornate Hylian Shield, just as Dark Link was doing the same. Link and Dark Link slowly approached each other with their swords held down and out to their sides. The looks on their faces and even their sword and shield positions seemed almost mirrored.

"Oh no, not that evil Link again" Saria gasped, holding her hands over her mouth as she watched the two gladiators face off. She felt her heart pounding in her chest and adrenaline flowing in her veins. She had seen their previous battle back in Kakariko Village and knew that Link had a very tough fight ahead of him. The tension she felt both in the atmosphere and within herself burdened her so much that she flinched when the two Links clashed swords to begin the fight.

Spryte saw the forest girl flinch and turned to her, "Saria, you look as worried about Link as the last time he fought Dark Link."

"Of course I am," said Saria, her apprehension being heard in her voice as she held her left hand over her pounding heart. "I saw how tough of an opponent that guy was, and now Link's fighting him again."

"Saria, dear, Link also beat him last time," Spryte pointed out. "I'm sure Link will prevail this time as well."

"Yeah, but... I can't help it. He's my best friend, I care for him, I love him, and...," said Saria, closing her left fist as she explained. Then, Link's last battle with Phantom Ganon came to mind, more specifically the end of that battle. When it did, the answer hit her, "I want to help him."

Saria quickly reached into her item bag with her left hand and quickly extracted her new crossbow. She cranked the draw lever three times as a dumbfounded Spryte watched. "Saria, what're you...?" she wondered.

Link and Dark Link stopped momentarily and once again stared each other down. Dark Link had the back of his right shoulder turned to Saria. So Saria seized this opportunity and quickly loaded a bolt in the groove against the drawn bowstring. She aimed down the field and right at Dark Link's upper back. Once confident of her aim, she squeezed the trigger lever and sent the bolt flying at Link's opponent.

Dark Link suddenly winced as the bolt struck him in the upper arm. He backed away from Link and pulled the bolt from his arm with his sword still in hand. He then turned to his right and discovered the green-haired girl with a crossbow in her hands. He quickly turned and took off after her, narrowly dodging a vertical slice from Link.

When Link saw what Dark Link was doing, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly took a deep breath and yelled, "Saria, run! Get outta here!"

Saria reacted quickly and took off running the other way as fast as her adrenaline-fed legs could carry her, still holding onto her crossbow.

"Saria, I think that was a bad idea," Spryte called out to her as she raced to keep up with the fleeing girl.

"No kidding," Saria yelled back, breathing heavily as she ran.

Link, acting on pure desperation, dropped his sword and shield and yanked his fairy bow from his item bag. He grabbed an arrow, knocked it, and jerked on the bowstring as quickly as he could. He aimed at the dark figure moving away from him and released the arrow. And just as Dark Link started to gain on Saria, Link's shot struck him in the upper back and knocked him to the ground on his face.

Link put his bow away, grabbed his sword and shield, and ran toward his fallen opponent. When Dark Link jumped back up to his feet, Link came to a grass-ripping halt. "Hey! Over here!" Link taunted, banging on his Hylian Shield with the broad side of his blade.

Dark Link turned his glowing red eyes to Link and swung his sword out to his side.

"**I'm** your opponent," Link taunted and then assumed his battle stance.

Dark Link accepted the challenge and charged at Link. Link gripped his sword and shield tightly and braced for whatever attack was coming his way. Dark Link leaped into the air and, with a deep and resonant "Hyaah", swung his sword down at Link. Link raised his shield and easily absorbed Dark Link's sword blow. He quickly countered with a spinning back slash, but only connected with Dark Link's sword. Thus, their fencing bout began.

Thinking back on his previous battles with Dark Link, especially his more recent one, Link charged forward and struck quickly in hope of going on an early offensive. Dark Link easily parried Link's attack, only for Link to bounce off that parry and go for Dark Link's right shoulder. Dark Link parried that as well and Link kept going from one side to the other.

As Dark Link parried another swing of Link's sword, Link faked a slash to his opponent's sword arm and quickly thrust at him. Dark Link grunted deeply as Link's sword struck him right in the chest. He staggered backward and miraculously blocked a spin attack from Link. Then suddenly, to Link's surprise, Dark Link sank into the ground as if it wasn't there. Almost as quickly as he had sunk into the ground, he leaped back out right behind Link and bashed him with his shield, knocking the unsuspecting hero to the ground.

Link rolled out of the way just as Dark Link leaped into the air and thrust his sword at him. Link leaped to his feet and slashed at his foe. However, Dark Link jumped out of the way and leaped into the air to execute a vertical slash accompanied by a loud and resonant yell. Link swiftly sidestepped out of the way and struck Dark Link in the back with a well-timed back slash.

Upon being hit, Dark Link sank into the ground again. This time, Link was ready for what came next and turned around. However, Dark Link did not reappear. "What the...?" Link wondered, looking around for his opponent.

"Link, watch out!" Navi screamed, accompanied by the sound of footsteps quickly approaching him from behind.

Link turned around to meet his charging opponent, only to end up on the receiving end of a powerful shield bash. Dark Link knocked Link off his feet and to the ground like a crazed rugby player.

Despite feeling a little dazed from that savage beating, Link stood back up and turned toward his darker self, who was just recovering from expending so much energy with that one shield bash. Link ran at Dark Link, holding his sword out to his side, ready to strike. Dark Link anticipated and held his shield in front of him and his sword behind him. And right as Link came within range, Dark Link let out a war cry and executed a spin attack.

Link, however, counted on Dark Link's preemptive attack and easily rolled underneath Dark Link's sword. With Dark Link vulnerable, Link leaped into the air, striking Dark Link's shield arm and causing him to drop his shield.

Once again, Dark Link sank into the ground. This time, Link gripped his sword and shield tightly and stayed on guard for any kind of attack Dark Link had up his sleeves. He looked all around him, but Dark Link was nowhere to be found. Link stayed on guard and waited patiently as his eyes scanned the field around him. Navi, on the other hand, scanned everything behind him in case Dark Link was to reappear behind him again.

Suddenly, Dark Link leaped out of the ground right in front of Link and executed a powerful spin attack. Link's shield absorbed the attack, but the sheer force from it sent Link staggering backward. Dark Link capitalized and, gripping his sword with both hands, unleashed a furious volley of slashes.

Link parried, blocked, and deflected every attack with his sword and shield. But the power of Dark Link's adrenaline-fed attacks succeeded in pushing Link back with each blow. Then, Dark Link reached into his item bag and grabbed something to throw at Link. Link raised his shield as Dark Link swung his arm forward to throw. Dark Link, however, merely faked the throw and struck Link's shield a few more times with his sword. Then, the second Link lowered his shield to counter, Dark Link threw with his right arm and struck Link in the face with a Deku Nut.

The blinding flash caught Link completely off guard. He stumbled backward and fell to the ground with his body tingling all over. He saw nothing but a bluish-white blur as a result of the blast.

"Oh no, Link," Navi gasped as she witnessed Link taking that Deku Nut blast.

Dark Link seized the opportunity and walked up to his fallen foe as he barely squirmed on the ground. He stood over Link and glanced down at the helpless hero. He raised his sword high above his head, gripped the hilt in both hands, and held the blade downward and pointed at Link's chest.

Link's vision finally returned, only for him to see the glowing red eyes and charcoal face of Dark Link standing right over him. He saw Dark Link lift his blade up high, ready to deliver the final blow. It was all happening so fast that he couldn't even react to it except to squirm. But suddenly, Dark Link's eyes closed as he winced and stumbled sideways. It was then that Link discovered a small arrow sticking in his left shoulder.

Quickly rediscovering his strength from witnessing the outside interference, Link seized the opportunity and leaped to his feet. He gripped his sword and struck the staggering Link over and over before Dark Link could recover. He then finished with a powerful spin attack, sending Dark Link flying through the air and to the ground.

..

"Yes! That worked," Saria cheered, pumping her right fist in celebration while she held the grip of her crossbow in her left hand.

"Of course, dear. Just like you did with Phantom Ganon, you often have to wait for the right moment to distract your foe," Spryte explained. "In time, and with practice, you'll learn to work together with Link as part of a team."

"Yes... I understand," said Saria. She cranked the draw lever on her crossbow and grabbed another bolt from her quiver, ready to strike again in case Dark Link stood back up.

Link slowly approached the fallen Dark Link with his shield up and his sword out behind him. But as Link neared him, Dark Link grabbed his sword and stood back up. He then sheathed his sword and threw a smoke bomb right at his own feet. The blast from it covered that small piece of the vast Hyrule Field in a blanket of blinding smoke. In seconds, the smoke cleared, leaving Link and Saria alone with their fairies and Dark Link nowhere to be found.

"It looks like he retreated again," said Navi.

"Yes it does," Link agreed before he too sheathed his sword and put his shield back up. "I think he's just toying with us."

"Why do you think that? He certainly looked serious about killing you," Navi wondered.

"I don't know. If he just wanted to kill me, he would've kept fighting until one of us fell," Link explained. "I don't know what he's up to. All I know is that he's plundering villages and dueling with me. Other than that, he's just toying with us."

"Maybe. Perhaps he's just another evil force we have to contend with besides Twinrova and Phantom Ganon," said Navi.

"Link, you did it!" Saria cheered as she threw herself at Link, embracing him tightly. "Goddesses, I was so worried."

Link smiled, wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed her gently. "Yeah... but he almost got me," he replied. "If you hadn't shot him just in time, that would've been the end of me."

"I know, Link," Saria gasped. She gently stroked up and down Link's back under his shield with her left hand.

"Thank you, Saria," said Link, rubbing circles on the small of Saria's back with his left hand. "You not only helped me out there... you really saved me. I'm just... so glad to have you with me."

"You're welcome, Link," Saria replied. Then, she let go of Link and turned her face away from his. "But... I kinda messed up with that first shot. I was just so worried and wanted to help you. And all I ended up doing was make him come after me."

"Saria," Link addressed. He placed his fingers under her chin, turned her face to his, and gazed into her pretty blue eyes. "I messed up too. I wasn't fast enough when you first shot him. And the second time, I caught him just in time before he could turn to you and take off after you again. Trust me, Saria, you did good, real good."

"It's like I said, Saria, with practice, you two can work together really well," said Spryte.

"I agree," said Navi. "Link, you've often been fighting alone since you first left the forest. Now, you have a partner in Saria who can fight alongside you."

"Yeah, but I've had a partner before. Ralph helped me out when we stormed the Black Tower and fought Veran back in Labrynna," said Link.

"You told me the story. But tell me, how well did you two fight together before your final battle with Veran?" Navi asked.

Silence was Link's only response as he thought back on how poorly he and Ralph had initially gotten along, and how much they competed with each other.

"Not very well, huh?" Navi answered for him. "But that first rocky partnership was a very good experience for you as it taught you how to work together with others toward a common goal. Now, you have a very good partner with whom you share a powerful bond. I think you're finally realizing just how blessed you really are to have her with you and how valuable of a partner she really is. It's like Spryte said: With time, and some practice, you kids will make a wonderful team."

"Yes, I understand," said Link before taking Saria back into his arms and embracing her. "I feel blessed to have her with me for so much more too."

"Okay now, don't get too lovey dovey," Navi teased. "Shouldn't you kids be going to the castle to see Zelda?"

"Yeah, Link," Saria agreed. "Let's call Epona and go to the castle."

Link let go of Saria, showing only a frown on his face. "Umm... I don't think Epona will come back after being scared away like that," said Link.

Saria too frowned and turned her face away. "I guess you're right. So that means we're walking, huh?"

"Well... there's nothing wrong with walking all the way there," Link explained. Then, a smile returned to his face. "We could enjoy the scenery together, have some outdoor-cooked food together, and even camp out under the stars together. We have all day to be alone out here in this huge field together."

Saria turned back to Link and showed him her warmest smile. "Well, since you put it that way... maybe I won't mind walking all the way there."

She stepped up to Link and placed her right hand on his left. She slipped her fingers in the palm of his hand and took it into hers. Once she had a good but gentle hold of Link's hand, she tugged lightly on his arm. "Come on, Link. Let's go."

Link gently and affectionately squeezed Saria's hand and began walking in the direction of the castle. Their fairies followed them closely behind and watched silently, not wanting to disturb the good time they seemed to be having. Saria then placed her other hand on Link's and rested her cheek against his shoulder.

"So... how far are we from the castle?" Saria asked.

"Oh we're still over a day away," Link replied. "It took me over two days to get to the castle on foot when I first left the forest."

"That far, huh? That's a lot of time we can spend together," said Saria before she let out a happily audible sigh. "This field really is huge, isn't it?"

"It sure is," Link replied. "I myself have never explored all of it, but I don't think you were exaggerating when you told the others that it'd take weeks to explore."

"Perhaps we'll do that someday," suggested Saria. "Once this adventure is over, we can go out on all kinds of new adventures together."

"Yes we can," Link agreed, thinking back on a conversation he had with Navi on this subject just days after his return home. "Believe me, you have no idea how much I wanted you with me on my last adventure so we could see all those wonderful sights together. Even my letters weren't enough to say it."

"All he could ever talk about after he came home was how he wished you could leave the forest too," Navi added.

"Well...," Saria began a she squeezed Link's hand. "You got your wish. Like you, I can leave the forest any time I want."

"Yes... I really did," said Link, looking at Saria's pretty blue eyes and smiling. For the rest of the day, Link and Saria continued their leisurely walk together, enjoying the scenery along the way. They talked very little and seldom ran, having decided to enjoy this wonderful long walk together. They didn't have to dress nice, present wonderful gifts, or serenade each other. To them that day, even the simplest setting made for a romantic one.

_The next morning..._

The cucco let out a loud and resonant crow as the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, right on cue. Link stirred slightly and barely cracked his eye open. He took in a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Then, he let out a big and audible yawn before he finally opened his eyes. He glanced all around the spacious tent that he had spent the night in, finding the light of the dawn shining through the slight opening in the end.

He then glanced down and found the face of his beloved best friend with her left cheek resting against the front of his right shoulder. Her right hand rested on the front of his left shoulder, while the back of her left hand sat cradled in his with their fingers laced together. Seeing her eyes closed and her warm smile as she slept warmed Link's heart. He smiled and gently squeezed her in his right arm with which he had held her all night.

As adorable of a sight as it was, Link wasn't the only one whom the cucco had awakened. Just as he was about to kiss Saria on the forehead, the sudden sound of Spryte's voice startled him, causing him to jerk slightly. "Saria, dear, Link, it's morning. Time to get up."

"Alright, Spryte, I'm already awake," Link replied, letting his feeling of utter annoyance being well known in his voice. "Just give us a few minutes, okay?"

"Mmm..." Saria moaned as she squirmed and shifted slightly in Link's arm. She then opened her eyes, blinked a few times to chase the sleep from them, and glanced upward at Link. "Good morning, Link," she pleasantly greeted.

"Good morning, Saria," Link greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

"Of course I did. I was here with you," Saria replied, giving Link's left shoulder a gentle squeeze. "How about you?"

"I sure did," he replied. "I'm used to sleeping outside, so I don't really mind it at all and usually sleep well outside."

"Well, you **are** a sleepyhead, so of course you're gonna sleep well," Saria teased with a slight giggle.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Link mocked.

"I rarely sleep outside back home. But, being with you is helping me get used to sleeping outside," said Saria.

Suddenly, Navi flew into the tent and began buzzing around them. "Come on, you lovebirds. Get up. We need to be moving on to the castle. Zelda's still waiting for us."

"I know, Navi. We're up," Saria snarled, swatting at the fairy with her right hand as if she were a fly. Then, she turned to Link, smiled again, and asked, "Want some breakfast before we go?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Link replied with a cheesy grin as he let go of Saria. The two forest youths finally got up and crawled out of their tent. They dusted themselves off and grabbed their cooking supplies from their item bags to start breakfast.

_An hour later..._

After enjoying a wonderful outdoor-cooked breakfast of eggs, nuts, fruits, and the last of their Lon Lon Milk, Saria and Link cleaned up their small campsite. They each took turns changing into a fresh set of clothes in Link's tent. Once everything was ready, Link broke down the medium-sized pup tent.

"It's a good thing I actually packed my tent this time," said Link as he began folding it neatly. "I knew we were gonna end up sleeping under the stars sometime during this adventure. With this, we could sleep outside no matter what the weather's like."

"Then how come you didn't pack it when you left the first time, huh?" Saria teased.

"Well, last time I was expecting to be alone, and expecting Epona to show up. I didn't think that I needed it," Link explained as he started rolling up his folded tent.

"So where did you get it?" Saria wondered.

"I got it when I was in Holodrum," Link replied. "The members of the dance troupe gave it to me when I departed to rescue the Oracle of Seasons. It really came in handy with the way the seasons were constantly shifting and everything."

"Brilliant," Saria explained. "We don't have tents in Kokiri Forest since we always sleep in the comfort of our houses when the weather is bad."

"I know, Saria," said Link as he slipped his cumbersome rolled-up tent into his small item bag. With everything packed, he stood back up and turned to Saria. "So... are you ready to go to the castle?"

"Of course I am. I've been waiting for you to pack up that tent," Saria teased. "How far are we now?"

"It's not far," Link replied. "We did kind of walk 'til past sundown yesterday before we decided to set up camp, so we made it pretty far."

"That's great," Saria said excitedly as her face lit up like fireworks. "So we'll definitely be there today, right?"

"Most definitely," Link replied. Then suddenly, a thought hit him. "Hey, wanna call Epona? I'm sure she'll come this time now that she's rested and is probably over being spooked by Dark Link. She can get us there very quickly."

"Well...," Saria replied as she thought about Link's proposal. Riding on Epona was starting to become very fun for her. However, something Link had said to her just yesterday entered her mind. "Actually, I just want to walk the rest of the way there."

"Are you sure?" Link skeptically wondered.

"Saria, I'm sure the Princess is eagerly awaiting us, especially since she was expecting us **yesterday**," Spryte reminded in an attempt to try and persuade Saria to change her mind.

"I'm sure," she replied. "Link, how long would it take for us to get there by walking?"

"I'm not sure. I know we're close, but I think we're still a good four or five hours walking distance," Link replied.

"Good, 'cause I wanna walk with you some more," Saria cheerfully said as she skipped over to Link's side. She gently slipped her right hand into his and began their walk to the castle. "At least this way, I can spend some more time alone with you and still see Princess Zelda. Don't you want to be with me some more?"

"Of course I do," Link replied, turning to meet Saria's blue eyes. "I just love walking with you like this. Actually... now that you mention it, unless we're in a hurry to go someplace, I'd want to walk with you and enjoy Hyrule Field with you **all** the time. After all, this **is** an adventure, right?'

"Of course it is," Saria happily replied. She placed her other hand on Link's, holding it in both hands, and rested her cheek against his shoulder just like yesterday. For the rest of their trip, they walked hand-in-hand all the way to the castle, chatting casually about anything and everything. After all, it was one of many times they could be alone together and talk about everything like they always used to.

_end of chapter 17  
_

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* * *

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Link vs. Dark Link... Round 2... Fight!

Link and Saria just can't catch a break when they're traveling, can they? Then again, this is a Legend of Zelda adventure. They meet Dark Link in Kakariko Village, climb a dangerous mountain, and face Phantom Ganon in Goron City. Now, Dark Link decides to show up again and fight with Dark Link more directly. But not only that, Link gets some help from Saria. I did intend her to have some purpose other than just accompanying Link from the very beginning. She is becoming a useful adventurer, isn't she? And to finish it off, they got to spend some wonderful time together. Forget long walks on the beach... this is a long walk through the field. Although it wasn't as overly squishy as Chapters 8 and 9 were, it did have its cute moments.

This chapter wasn't too terribly difficult to write, and I had a lot of fun with it. I actually intended this chapter to have another scene after their night camping. But I decided to move that scene to the beginning of Chapter 18, otherwise Chapter 18 would've been my shortest chapter in the story thus far by a lot. Also, that scene fits better with the theme of the next chapter, so it's a plus. I like to try and keep my chapters as even as possible, although Chapter 13 was a huge exception. Now, Chapter 18 could end up one of the longer ones. So because of that split, this chapter turned out to be one of my shorter ones. Shorten one, lengthen another. I hope you enjoyed reading it. As always, reviews are more than welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun, Zelda fans, and good night,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	19. Chapter 18: Tour the Market

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 18

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. I decided to just go ahead and post what I have of Chapter 18 after my long hiatus from writing this fanfic. We left off with an action-packed battle as Link and Saria were traveling toward Hyrule Castle. So what lies in store for them at the Castle Town? Read and find out.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 18: Tour the Market

_Noon..._

After hours of walking the massive fields of Hyrule, Link and Saria spotted a massive masonry wall in the distance. As they took their time approaching it, they noticed the battlements lining the entire length of the wall, as well as the small towers spaced every hundred meters or so. In the middle of the wall stood a large open gate that welcomed many visitors during the daytime. Saria gasped at such a magnificent sight, "Wow! Is this really the castle?"

Navi giggled at Saria's amazement over a mere wall. But Link only smiled as he replied, "No, Saria. This is only the outer wall surrounding Hyrule Castle Town. The castle itself lies far beyond this wall."

Saria gasped loudly and her face lit up. "You mean this town is even bigger than Goron City?"

"Much bigger," Link replied. "We'll only be in the Market, which takes up much of the southern and central parts of the town leading straight to the castle. The people's houses are all on the western and eastern sides of the town. The castle is on the north side, and the Temple of Time is on the northeast side. Even Navi and I haven't explored the entire town yet. Just you wait and see when we go into town."

"Oh I can't wait," Saria said enthusiastically as she dragged Link by the hand toward the gate. They quickly ran across the big heavy drawbridge spanning the width of the moat fed by Zora's River.

On the other side of the wall, they slowed down as they approached a large group of people who were also making their way toward the market. They all walked through the alleyway between the wall and the first set of buildings as if being ushered in by some unseen force. Finally, the group dispersed as they entered the castle town's market.

When the vast market revealed itself to Saria, she gasped as her mouth hung open and eyes popped wide open. There were vendors' stands as far as her eyes could see, filled with everything from food, to clothing, to textiles, to knickknacks, to even exotic pottery. The buildings, like those in Kakariko Village, were all square and rectangular-shaped. But what captivated Saria the most was both the sight and the dull roar of the huge crowd of people, tons more than back in Kakariko Village.

"Oh my goddesses... it really is huge," Saria gasped as she slowly walked further into the marketplace, looking all around her as she did. "Just look at all these people I didn't even see this many people back at Kakariko Village."

"I know, Saria. Believe me, I too was amazed at just how much this place had grown in the last couple years," said Link before he explained. "This town gets visitors from not just Hyrule, but from other lands outside of Hyrule too. Many people come here to buy and sell things from all over and to meet people from other lands. Some even come here to visit the castle and see the King."

"It's everything that your books have said about it... a center of tourism and commerce," said Spryte. "So of course it's going to be huge and have lots of people."

"I know, I know. I've read about this place before, but... seeing it for myself is just so amazing... I just forget everything I've ever read about this place," said Saria.

"Do you want to visit some of the shops and vendors here before we go to see Zelda?" Link asked, smiling at his beloved best friend.

"Oh yes, Link. I'd love to," Saria gleefully replied. "I want to see all the wonderful food from all over the world."

"I don't know, Saria. The food here isn't all that much different than the food at Kakariko Village," said Link. "Besides, you've had some of this great food before every time I brought some home from here. There are tons of other shops and vendors besides ones that sell food, 'ya know."

"Yeah, but... we're children of Kokiri Forest. We **love** all kinds of good food," Saria pleaded, giving Link the puppy dog face.

"She has a point, you know," said Navi.

"You can't really say 'no' to any Kokiri when it comes to good food," Spryte added.

"Alright, let's go check out the food stands," Link surrendered. He and Saria then made a beeline for the nearest fruit stand. "Who knows, maybe they'll have some new stuff that I haven't seen yet."

"Now that's the spirit," said Saria.

After visiting the first fruit stand for a few minutes, Link and Saria began to explore the marketplace, visiting the various food stands while ignoring some of the ones that sold knickknacks and pottery. They saw various fruits and nuts from all over the world, some that even Link hadn't seen before during his travels. So being the fruit lovers that they were, Link and Saria both sampled the various fruits and eventually bought a moderate supply of the more exotic ones. Such fruits would certainly make for wonderful snacks for when they're out in the field.

Next, they visited a number of vendors who sold all kinds of bread. Not only did Link and Saria find regular loaves of all kinds of bread, but they also discovered a type of bread that had a very flat shape to it. "I've never seen this kind of bread before," Saria said to the vendor. "What kind is it?"

"This, my dear young lady, is called flat bread. With this, you can put anything on it from meats, to vegetables, to fruits, and wrap them all up," the vendor explained.

"Cool!" Saria responded. "Link, let's get some. We could bring some of this home, too. I'm sure everyone will love it."

"I think so too," said Link as he extracted some red and blue rupees to pay the vendor. However, after spending minutes debating whether they intended to return home after their visit with Zelda or not, they reluctantly decided to buy only enough flat bread for the both of them. For all they knew, Zelda had something for them to do after their visit with her, so they didn't know when they would be going back home again to visit. For now, they kept all the food they wanted to bring home in the backs of their minds for future reference and moved on to the meat and vegetable stands.

The meats were nothing new to Link, having eaten his share over the last few years. But to Saria, it was more new food that she could potentially enjoy since the Kokiri rarely hunted anything in the forest. She decided to buy some of the dried meats that she and Link could carry on their journey since dried meats didn't spoil like fresh meat did. With their adventure so unpredictable, they never knew when they were going to stop to cook their next meal, so anything that spoiled as quickly as meat was out of the question. But at least Saria had the meats as another delicacy to sample at a later date.

Last, they visited the many vegetable stands, featuring many different kinds of vegetables grown by farmers from all over Hyrule and beyond. They contained many leafy vegetables, bulbs, roots, beans, sprouts, corn, and many other different kinds of vegetables. "I... I just can't believe there are so many different kinds of fruits and vegetables," an astonished Saria commented as she browsed each and every one of them.

"I couldn't believe it either," said Link, also astonished by what they saw. "It still amazes me every time I discover new fruits and veggies."

"Let's grab a few of these and go somewhere else. I want to see all the other shops around here," suggested Saria as Link purchased some of the different vegetables. Once he bagged them and stored them in his item sack, he looked back up and discovered a familiar sign above the door of a nearby building that read "Hylian Fine Jewelry".

"Hey Link, isn't that...?" Navi asked, having also spotted the sign.

"Uh-huh," Link replied. Upon remembering both the shop and its significance, he suddenly came up with a bright idea and turned to Saria. "Hey Saria, wanna go look at some pretty jewelry?"

"Jewelry?" Saria exclaimed as her face lit up with joy like a Kokiri during Christmas. "Oh I'd love to see all the pretty jewelry that I've read so much about in stories and that all the girls love to wear and show off and..."

"Okay, okay, okay, enough. I get the point. Let's go," Link interjected, calming the giddy Saria down. So they walked up to the door and Link opened it like a true gentleman. He waved his hand inside in an inviting manner, letting Saria walk inside first, and then followed her inside and closed the door behind them.

Right as Saria's eyes fell upon a display case full of beautiful necklaces and pendants, she drew in a sharp breath. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth hung open as she scanned each and every piece of the fine jewelry. The light from the numerous lamps glistened on every jewel and shined brilliantly on the gold and silver. Saria couldn't help but to be captivated by so many beautiful pieces of jewelry, as if the locket that Link had given her wasn't enough. She certainly felt like a Kokiri in a cake shop.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" said Link, smiling at Saria's astonishment.

"Oh yes, it's just... I've never seen so much jewelry before in my life," Saria softly replied.

"Well, that's because we've lived in the forest all our lives," said Spryte.

"Welcome to Hylian Fine Jewelry," a man's voice greeted, grabbing not only Link's and Saria's attention, but also their fairies. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Saria looked up from the display case to see the well-dressed man staring right at her. "Judging by the astonished look on your face, I assume this is your first visit, no?" the jeweler asked, to which Saria nodded in response.

Then, the sight of a familiar boy dressed in a green tunic and hat and accompanied by a blue fairy caught his eye. "Ah, it's the young forest lad from weeks ago. Welcome back," he greeted. "It's certainly good to see you again. What brings you here today?"

"Oh, we're just here looking, that's all," Link replied.

The jeweler then turned to Link's companion. He discovered her to not only be wearing a green tunic similar to Link's, but also found her to be accompanied by a fairy of her own. "I see. So this is the pretty young lass for whom you bought that marvelous locket for, no?" said the jeweler as he admired the pretty young forest girl before him.

"Yes, this is her," Link replied as he stepped up next to Saria to introduce her.

"Wait, you mean you got my locket here?" Saria wondered, quickly turning to Link.

"I sure did," Link replied, wearing a proud smile. "He is Hyrule's best jeweler."

"That's so wonderful," Saria happily exclaimed.

"Do you still have your locket?" the jeweler asked.

Saria turned back to the jeweler and replied, "Yes I do." She slipped her hand down the front of her dark green turtleneck, gripped the fine golden chain, and pulled the locket out for all to see. Then, she held it in the palm of her left hand with the fine gold chain still around her neck and presented it to the jeweler.

After moments of examining not only the locket, but also the girl wearing it, the jeweler gave his verdict. "I must say, the young lad couldn't have chosen a more perfect piece of jewelry. The emerald stones pair with the color of your hair very well. And that sapphire in the middle almost perfectly matches your eyes. Your friend has exquisite tastes, indeed."

Saria and Link both blushed at the jeweler's compliments.

"Well, feel free to browse. I have a very fine selection of all kinds of jewelry, as you can see. Call on me if you wish to take a closer look at any particular piece." said the jeweler before he stepped back and allowed Link and Saria to glance at each pieces of fine jewelry together.

After a half hour of admiring their exquisite beauty and commenting on almost everything they saw, Link and Saria left the jewelry store and rejoined the growing crowd of people in the marketplace. Saria turned to Link. "Hey Link, I want to look at some of the clothes that I saw while we were looking at all the food."

"I don't know, Saria. It's already afternoon," Link debated. "I want to go ahead and visit Zelda."

"Oh come on, Link, please?" Saria begged, with her hands clasped together at her chest. "I promise it'll be the last. You don't have to look at them with me if you don't want to."

"Can it wait until after we visit Zelda?" Link asked, trying to persuade Saria.

"No... I wanna see all the wonderful clothes from all over the world **now**," Saria replied with a pouting look on her face. "They might close by the time we come back from visiting the Princess."

"Link, dear, it's not wise to keep a girl from her clothes shopping," Navi warned.

After pausing for a moment as he pondered it all, Link finally gave in. "Okay, Saria. Zelda will still be at the castle waiting for us. I guess we can explore the market a little more."

"Yes!" Saria cheered. "I'll see you soon, 'kay Link? I promise I'll be back soon."

She then turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Link and Navi alone to their thoughts. "So Link, what do you want to look at while Saria is visiting the clothing vendors?"

"I don't know. We already have plenty of supplies," Link replied.

"Well, isn't there anything in this huge marketplace that interests you right now?" Navi wondered.

Suddenly, the melodic sounds of flutes, accordions, lutes, and bass woodwinds began to fill the marketplace. Link turned in the direction of the music. "Actually... there is," he replied as he began to walk through the crowd toward the music.

Link quickly picked up his pace, darting around many people as he swam through the crowd as fast as the crowd would allow. Navi, however, easily kept up since she few over the crowd rather than through it. Soon, Link broke through the crowd of people and discovered a live traveling band performing at the center of the market square. He and much of the crowd watched and listened as the band played a few songs for them.

"Wow, this is a pretty cool band," Link commented as he listened to their song.

"Yes they are," Navi agreed, sitting on Link's right shoulder while she too listened to the song. "I wonder where they came from."

"I don't know, but the songs they're playing are new to me," said Link. As he listened to the song, an idea suddenly dropped into his lap as if delivered by a wayward bird. "Hey, why don't I learn these songs?"

"I'm not sure, Link, I don't think they're going to stop and teach you," said Navi.

"They don't have to," Link said with a bit of a grin as he reached for his fairy ocarina. "I can learn most of these songs just by listening to them now."

"Really? Just by listening, huh?" said Navi, cocking an eyebrow. "I see you really are growing as an ocarina player."

"Yeah, but I'm still not as good as Saria," said Link as he held his ocarina in his hands. "I could never actually write my own songs like she can."

The band began to play their next song, a Celtic-style folk piece. Link listened to the band's lead flautist play a slow and sweet melody. As he listened, he fingered the corresponding notes on his fairy ocarina to learn the song. As much as he would've loved to join the band, he enjoyed learning these new songs just as much as playing them. He was certainly going to have some new songs to show off to Saria sometime later during their adventure. He smiled at that thought as he continued fingering the notes to learn the song.

Immediately after the eighth song, a pair of hands suddenly covered Link's eyes from behind. "Guess who?" a girl's voice playfully greeted.

"Hi Saria," Link replied, easily recognizing the girl's voice, as he began to turn around to face her. "How was your clothes sho..."

Link stopped abruptly when his eyes fell upon Saria. His eyes popped and mouth hung wide open as Saria stepped back. She was wearing neither her tunic nor long-sleeve turtleneck. Instead, she wore a jade green sleeveless dress, with medium-width shoulder straps and a low square-cut bordered neckline. It had a bodice with princess seams that fit closely to her young figure and a plain loose skirt with a bordered hem cut just below her knees. Under her dress, she wore a silk grass green shirt with a moderate v-cut neckline and sleeves cut halfway down her upper arms. To compliment her dress, she wore her dark green hair band with a white flower above her pointed right ear, her beautiful raindrop locket, and her brown strappy dress sandals.

"Well, what do you think?" Saria asked before she did a pirouette, letting her skirt flow outward as she twirled.

"Saria... you look... you look... brilliant," Link stuttered as his best friend's beauty once again left him nearly speechless. "You look absolutely amazing."

"Thank you, Link," Saria replied.

"But... why? What's the occasion?" Link asked, wondering why his best friend suddenly decided to dress up.

"Well, we **are** about to go visit a princess, right?" Saria explained. "I gotta look my best, especially since it's my first time visiting her."

"She may have dressed as a princess before during the plays we put on, but Saria's never actually met a real princess before," said Spryte. "She really wanted to make a good first impression."

"I see. But, don't you already have a dress?" Link asked. "Did you really need to go and get another one?"

"Of course I did," Saria replied. "That other dress is my best dress. I may have gotten it for your birthday party, but it sorta became a dress that I'd wear whenever it's just you and me together... to show off to you. This dress is one that I can wear to look my best just about anywhere."

"Uh-huh, I think I get it," said Link as her explanation seemed slow to sink in.

"Girls like to have different dresses for different purposes and different occasions," Navi added.

"Yes, I see now," said Link. Having understood her reasons, Link examined Saria from head to toe. "I must say you look absolutely lovely in it. I'm sure that Zelda will think so too."

"Why... thank you," said Saria, blushing at Link's words. "It makes me feel like getting this dress was worth it. And I'm... actually starting to like wearing these dresses."

"Oh? And why is that?" Link wondered with a slightly perplexed look on his face.

"Well, we're so used to wearing our shorts and tunics back home. It's good to wear something different once in a while. They feel really comfortable to wear, especially the skirts, and they're easy to move around in too. Besides...," Saria explained. She grasped her skirt and spread it out to the sides, the fabric almost pressing against her legs, as she looked over herself. "I like looking pretty in these new clothes."

"Well... if you want, after we visit Zelda, we can do some more shopping for some new clothes for the both of us if the vendors are still open," suggested Link.

"I would love to," Saria replied. She walked up to Link, wrapped her arms over the tops of his shoulders and around his neck, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you Link... for always being my friend and always being honest."

"You're welcome," Link replied, smiling as he happily returned Saria's hug. "Are you ready to go and meet the princess whom you've heard so much about?"

Saria loosened her embrace and gazed into Link's eyes, then replied, "Yes, I'm ready now."

Link and Saria let go of each other. They then turned away from the band and began their trek through the crowd and northward toward the castle.

Soon, they arrived at a fairly large hill, with high cliffs cut into it to form a path that lead directly to the castle's outer gate. These cliffs flanking the path served to prevent potential enemy armies from attacking the castle en masse. However, plenty of ivy crept its way up some of the cliffs, which had given Link a way to sneak into the castle so easily in the past. The outer gate itself consisted of a masonry wall as high as the tops of the cliffs, with towers flanking either side of the wrought iron gate in the middle. They couldn't really see much of the castle beyond the hill, even when they were still in town. The closer they got to the castle, the less of it they saw.

They walked along the path between the cliffs and approached the closed gate. There, two armored guards armed with swords and long halberds stood as sentries. As they approached, the two guards sidestepped closer together to block the forest children's path. A third guard, armed only with a sword, emerged from an open door in the right tower.

"What business do you kids have at the castle?" the rather muscular guard demanded with a gruff voice and a stern look on his face.

Link turned to Saria and gently elbowed her arm. "Saria, get your invitation," he whispered to her. Then, he reached into his own item bag and extracted the decorative parchment. "Umm... we were invited as guests to Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda," Link replied to the guard rather formally. "We are representatives of the children of Kokiri Forest to the southeast."

Saria too extracted her official invitation from her item bag. Upon Link's response to the guard, they presented their invitations to him. He took them from the forest youths, unfolded them, and briefly read them. Recognizing the Princess's writing from the many invitations he had inspected before, he folded them and handed them back to Link and Saria.

"Ah yes, we had received a letter from the Lady Impa saying that you two would be visiting. The Lady Impa wishes to escort you herself to Her Highness. Please wait here while we summon her," said the guard. He then motioned to one of the guards standing atop the wall to fetch Impa, who scurried off like a dog fetching a thrown ball.

"Thank you," Link politely replied.

"So we get to see Miss Impa again, huh?" said Saria as she and Link awaited the old Sheikah.

"Of course. She's a familiar face to us," said Link. "Would you rather have her walk us through the castle, or one of the guards?"

Saria giggled, "Oh I wasn't complaining. I don't mind seeing Miss Impa again."

"I too would rather have her escort us than one of these guards," said Link, with his statement drawing a pair of glares from the two sentries.

Soon, the tall, muscular, silver-haired Sheikah arrived at the gate. "Guards, open this gate," she sharply ordered.

"Yes, Lady Impa," the muscular guard humbly replied. He clapped his hands to another one of the guards atop the gate's ramparts, who then barked some orders to a few men operating the giant capstan. And in moments, the massive wrought iron gate rose and opened the way to the castle grounds.

"Wow, there sure are a lot more guards around this gate than the last time I came here," Link commented.

"I don't think you would've been able to sneak in even by yourself," Navi whispered into Link's ear.

"Link, Saria, it's so good to see you two again," the normally stern Impa pleasantly greeted. Then, she lowered her tone and reassumed her usual demeanor, "But, you kids are late. We were expecting you yesterday."

"We're sorry, Miss Impa," Saria apologized.

"We kinda ran into some trouble on our way here from the forest," Link explained.

"Oh? Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Impa wondered, raising an eyebrow out of curiosity.

"The same kind that we ran into back at Kakariko Village," Link replied.

"You mean you ran into that dark imposter again?" an astonished Impa exclaimed, contrary to her rigid reputation.

"Yes we did. Just like back at the village, it was a tough fight. I wouldn't be here visiting the Princess right now if I didn't have Saria with me. She really helped me out there," said Link.

"Well then... we're just going to have to look into this as well," said Impa, pondering Link's story. "First, a pair of witches attack you and the Zoras, a ghostly clone of Ganondorf attacks the Gorons, and now we have this impish fiend impersonating you and causing all kinds of trouble in Hyrule."

"That's why we're here to see the Princess," said Link.

"Yes, indeed you are. I will go ahead and take you to her," said Impa before she turned her back. "You kids come with me."

Link and Saria gladly obeyed and ran to Impa's side like cats following their master to dinner. From there, they walked the path around the castle meadow toward the castle gate.

"So tell me, young Saria, this is your first time seeing a castle, much less visiting one, no?" Impa asked.

"Well... yes. I've heard and read some amazing stories about this castle, but I've only been in the forest my whole life until recently," Saria replied.

"Yes, I understand. And I see you've dressed very beautifully for your visit to Her Highness," Impa commented, noticing Saria's pretty green dress and flower in her hair.

Saria's cheeks quickly flushed at Impa's comment. She was certainly flattered to have impressed not only her best friend, but also a new friend. She only hoped that Princess Zelda will be equally impressed as well. "Umm... thank you, Miss Impa," she bashfully replied.

"If you'd like, I can give you a short tour of the castle on the way to the Princess," Impa continued. "I'm sorry it has to be a short tour. I would offer to show you around the whole castle, but I know your business with Her Highness is of extreme importance and urgency."

"It's okay, Miss Impa. I understand," said Saria.

"Perhaps next time you visit, I can give you a tour of the whole castle," Impa offered.

"That would be really nice, Miss Im...," said Saria, before she stopped and gasped loudly at the sight before her as they rounded the bend. There stood the massive yet magnificent Hyrule Castle that she had heard so much about for so many years: from the Great Deku Tree, the Great Deku Sprout, and Link.

The outer walls were made from the same masonry and in the same style as the town's outer wall. The towers, much like the ones in the town, were topped with very steep conical roofs. Large flying buttresses extended from the main towers of the outer walls to the towers of the inner walls. In the center stood the majestic castle keep. Many flags and pennants flew throughout the castle, and many tapestries and banners decorated both the outer and inner walls. Needless to say, Saria couldn't help but to stand there with her mouth gaping in awe of such a magnificent castle.

"Wow... it's so huge... and so much more majestic than in the stories," Saria commented.

"Well of course. This is the center of Hyrule. The castle is meant to embody everything that is Hyrule: her strength, her beauty, her wealth, her wisdom, and her passion," Impa explained.

"Oh I can't wait to see the inside of it too," said Saria, jumping up and down excitedly and anxiously.

"Patience, young Saria. We're almost at the gate," said Impa. As they neared the gate, Impa stopped and turned around to face the two unmistakably excited forest youths, "Now, I know you're familiar with both me and the Princess, but I must remind all good boys and girls to be on their best behavior in the castle and to show Her Highness the proper respect."

"Oh you know we will," Link replied, though sounding a little bit mischievous and insincere, at which Navi rolled her eyes.

Saria, however, calmed down upon Impa's stern reminder and walked with her toward the castle gate like a proper lady. However, the excitement still boiled inside her, and the smirk on her face showed as she labored at containing some persistent giggles.

_end of chapter 18  
_

* * *

Saria really is quite captivated by the world outside the forest, isn't she? Then again, was Link any different? True, the game didn't really illustrate it, but the manga based on it did a little. Granted, this was a rather laid back chapter, but I had a lot of fun writing it. Saria sure likes to impress Link with her new clothes, doesn't she? She's growing up, after all, and is in love with Link. It all certainly made for a great time that Saria and Link spent together, exploring the market together, before continuing with their adventure. After having to put up with Dark Link in the last chapter, they certainly deserved the break.

This turned out to be the shortest chapter I've posted for this story, and will probably stay the shortest. I intended the chapter to be much longer, but I decided to just go ahead and post what I have finished so far right now since I had a really good stopping point. I felt that with my long hiatus, I owed it to you the readers to post at least something from my long hiatus. This chapter is actually about 40% of what I had intended to include, but I think it turned out well. The rest will become Chapter 19. That chapter should be an interesting read, so keep your eyes out for it. However, I am sad to say that Chapter 18 will be the final chapter that I write with pen and paper before transferring to my computer. It was a great method I used when writing stories, as I wrote my thoughts on paper, and then read through them again and edited as I transferred them to my computer. I'm back to writing this fanfic again, so I'll get to work on it. I hope you enjoyed reading this rather short chapter. As always, reviews and critiques are more than welcome.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun, Zelda fans, and good night,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


	20. Chapter 19: The Castle And The Sage

**Title: **Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 19

**Author: **Viper Inferno

**Genre:** Action/Adventure Romance

**Rated: **PG

**Author's Notes: **This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. In the last chapter, I had to cut it off since it had been so long since posting Chapter 17. But I did not want to split this chapter up too just to have content to post. I wanted to finish what I had originally planned and post a quality piece. So here we have the conclusion of what was to be Chapter 18... only it's now 19. We left off with Saria touring the Castle Town Market before finally arriving at the castle. What will Saria think of Hyrule Castle? Of the Princess? And how will Zelda help them to protect the Ocarina of Time. Read and find out.

* * *

**Rekindling Their Bonds**

_By Viper Inferno_

Chapter 19: The Castle And The Sage

_Hyrule Castle..._

After their short walk all around the hilly Castle Meadow, Link, Saria, and the ever-so-stern Impa arrived at the main gate to Hyrule Castle. As Saria glanced upon the huge open portal to the castle, it quickly reminded her of the main gate to Hyrule Castle Town. This gate was essentially a somewhat smaller version of the Castle Town's gate. Everything about the gate, from the archway, to the massive wrought iron gate, to even the individual stones, mirrored the Castle Town's gate. However, the drawbridge spanning the moat did not connect to the castle gate like it did for the town's gate. Instead of the huge drawbridge, a pair of thick and heavy wooden doors served to assist the heavy wrought iron lift gate.

A pair of sentries armed with long halberds and larger versions of Link's Hylian Shield stood guard at the gate, while a third heavily armored guard greeted Impa as they arrived. "Good day, Lady Impa. Are these our guests to Her Highness?"

"Yes, they are," Impa replied. "These children are representatives of the children of Kokiri Forest in Southeast Hyrule. They come to seek guidance from Her Highness on behalf of the Kokiri children."

"This wouldn't by any chance be related to the strange occurrences all over Hyrule that we've gotten reports of lately, would it?" the guard inquired.

Impa hesitated at the guard's inquiry, not wanting to alarm him or the rest of the King's Guard. She then replied, "No, they are simply making an official visit to seek guidance from Her Highness just like many of Hyrule's representatives, that's all."

"I see. Pardon my intrusion," the guard apologized. He politely bowed to Impa before stepping aside and letting the trio enter the castle.

Once on the other side of the menacing gate, Saria looked all around her. She gazed at the stone walls that were decorated with maroon and purple tapestries, adorned with both the Triforce and the crests of the Royal Family. Many torches, lanterns, and lit chandeliers brightened the inside of the castle as if the sun itself was shining inside. Down the massive foyer, a long crimson carpet ran from just inside the main gate all the way to another large wooden gate at the other end. Along this central path stood many stone statues of the past kings and queens of the various provinces and tribes of the Old Hyrule. Saria recognized many of the statues as being not only those of Hylians, but also of Gorons and Zoras as well.

"Why are there so many different statues?" Saria asked. "Did Gorons and Zora used to rule Hyrule as well?"

Impa turned her head to Saria and explained as they continued their walk down the central path in the foyer. "No, young Saria. Only half of these statues are of the past Kings and Queens of Hyrule. But as you probably already know, Hyrule wasn't always as united as it is today. It consisted of many smaller kingdoms and principalities. And these other statues, even some of the other Hylians, were past rulers over their individual kingdoms. These statues all stand as equals as a nod to not only the Castle's history, but all of Hyrule's as well."

"Just like the Great Deku Sprout used to tell me when I learned that I was a Sage," Saria added.

"Your forest guardian has taught you a lot, hasn't he?" said Impa.

"Well... only to me and Link," Saria replied. "He tells everyone else stories of the how the Golden Goddesses created our world, stories of the forest, stories of Kokiri from the past, and even a story about how he had a brother that he didn't get along with."

"It sounds like he cares enough about you all to want to shield you from the rest of the outside world and to keep you and your forest at peace when the rest of the world is in discord," said Impa.

"Yeah... the forest isn't so peaceful anymore, not since that witch came and burned our forest and demanded Kokiri's Emerald," said Saria, remembering the horrible event as vividly as it had happened only yesterday.

"But that's why you're here to see the Princess, right? To seek her guidance in regaining that peace?" Impa reminded.

"Right," Saria replied.

They arrived at the massive wooden double doors at the other end of the foyer. The two guards briskly marched to the handles, grasped them firmly, and pulled with their might to open the heavy doors for Impa and her guests. The trio proceeded through the open gate and into the main courtyard. Saria watched in awe as many people, though mostly castle guards, walked the paths around the courtyard. The grass here was some of the greenest she had ever seen, greener than even the forest after a good summer rain. The paths were paved in off-white cobblestone, matching the walls of the castle. In the center stood a massive marble fountain, decorated with a large statue of the three Golden Goddesses holding a large marble Triforce above their heads in the center.

"Wow... it's so beautiful," Saria commented.

"This, young Saria, is the main courtyard," Impa explained. "Here is where our guests gather during an intermission for a little fresh air. Just like the foyer, it too connects with many of the other parts of the castle, including where we're going to be going. That large wooden door on the other side leads to the Great Hall, where the King entertains his guests. The smaller courtyard and garden lies next to the Great Hall."

"How big is the Great Hall?" Saria asked, with thoughts of the already large foyer fresh on her mind as she wondered.

"Oh, it's bigger than the foyer we just came in through, and in my opinion even more majestic. It has chandeliers made of only the most elegant crystal, and many ornate stained glass windows, just to give you an idea," Impa explained. "I would love to show you the Great Hall, but as I've said before, your meeting with the Princess is urgent. So I'm sorry I won't be able to show you right now."

"Oh man," Saria playfully complained, snapping her fingers and stomping foot.

"At least you're getting to see a castle as magnificent as this one," said Spryte.

"Right. Of course," Saria agreed, smiling.

"Don't get me wrong. As magnificent as this castle is, it **is** a fortress, and a very well-fortified one too," said Impa. "It's stood for hundreds of years through all kinds of wars and fighting. With us Sheikah, the Castle Guard, and the King's Army protecting her, it would be quite difficult if not foolish for anyone of ill-intent to attack this castle directly."

"I see... majestic, and protected," said Saria. Then, she turned to Link with a sly grin and asked, "Hey Link, you look just as amazed as I am to be seeing all of this. Have you even seen the Great Hall, or even this courtyard from the times you came here, or rather **snuck** in here?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Link sarcastically responded, and then hesitated. Thoughts of the time he had returned to the present as a child again reentered his mind as he pondered Saria's underlying question. "Yes... only once," he finally replied. "I didn't really get to see it either... it was kind of an emergency. Zelda and I had to see the King right away."

"I see," Saria sheepishly said, remembering the story Link had told her of his return from his first adventure.

"Now, shall I take you to see the Princess?" Impa asked as Saria continued glancing about the courtyard.

After a minute, Saria turned to Impa and smiled. "Yes, I'm ready to see the Princess now."

"Okay, it's right this way. Follow me," said Impa. She then turned to the right and toward a large open pathway. Link and Saria followed close behind like a pair of children following their mother at the market. Saria, however, had much of her attention focused on the decorated archways, castle windows, and flying buttresses all around her. The fact that she stayed close to Link and Impa without losing her way or bumping into someone would've surprised anyone.

Soon, after walking through another large atrium, one very familiar to Link from the times he had snuck into the castle, they arrived at the gold and white marble archway that lead to the castle's eastern courtyard and garden. "And this is the Eastern Courtyard, where Her Highness awaits you," said Impa upon their arrival. "I shall leave you to Her Highness now. Good day, Children of the Forest."

Impa slowly backed away from Link and Saria. After putting some distance between them, Impa threw down a smoke bomb in front of her, obscuring all around her with a think white smokescreen. The smoke quickly cleared, leaving Impa nowhere to be found.

"That woman certainly likes to make a flashy exit, huh?" Saria commented.

"Yeah, even when she doesn't have to," Link agreed.

With Impa gone, Link and Saria, along with their fairies, crossed under the archway and entered the elegant garden in the courtyard. Saria had little time to glance about the beautiful garden because of what had immediately grabbed her attention at the other end. There, standing right next to a window looking into the Great Hall, stood a young girl not much older than Saria herself, with her back turned to them. She had long and bright golden hair, reaching down to about the middle of her back. However, much to even Link's surprise, she wore a different dress than the last time Link had met her. Her dress was sleeveless and strapless, with a magenta bodice and a lavender skirt. She wore a loose rich pink shawl over her shoulders that went only down to the bottom of her shoulder blades.

"Is that really... Princess Zelda?" Saria quietly gasped.

"Mmhmm," Link replied.

Upon hearing the voice in the garden, Zelda turned around to meet the eyes of the two forest children whom she had hoped would come. When she did, Saria gasped loudly and her eyes popped open at what she saw. On the front of her dress, she wore an ornate golden belt, with a purple banner that bore a golden crest of the Royal Family. Her shawl hung over her shoulders, joined together at the front by a few large and highly orate golden plates. She wore white gloves that extended up just past her elbows, showing off the pale skin of her upper arms. But what captivated Saria most of all was her pale face and bright pink lipstick. The wing-like barrettes in her hair and her golden tiara only complimented her beauty. 'Oh my goddesses... she's beautiful,' Saria thought to herself as she stood there, completely speechless. Then suddenly, remembering her manners, she regained her composure and curtsied politely to the young princess. She then turned to Link, who only stood there. "Come on, Link, show the proper respect like Impa said," she ordered, lightly kicking him in the back of the leg.

Upon his friend's persuasion, Link too bowed politely to Zelda, then stood back up just as quickly.

"Link, it's great to see you again. I've been expecting you since yesterday," said Zelda as she slowly walked across the garden toward the two forest children and their fairies. "When you didn't arrive yesterday, I began to worry. Knowing you, and what has happened recently, I assumed you ran into trouble on the way here. But... I'm glad you two made it here in one piece."

"Yeah, you can say that again," Link agreed as he and Saria walked toward Zelda to meet her in the middle of the garden.

As they approached each other, Zelda noticed the young green-haired girl with a fairy of her own accompanying Link. "So, is this the Saria you've told me so much about?" she asked, prompting a bashful blush from Saria.

"Yes, this is Saria, my best friend in the whole world," Link replied, introducing his friend to her.

Zelda slowly walked up to Saria, coming within arm's distance from her. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Saria," said Zelda, smiling at the lovely forest girl.

"Princess... I am honored to finally meet you," Saria gasped, again curtsying to Zelda with her cheeks still flushed.

"Please, you don't need to be so formal with me all the time," said Zelda, reassuring Saria. "Any friend of Link's is also a friend of mine... especially when she's the Forest Sage."

Saria suddenly stood back up, her eyes wide open in shock from what she had just heard, "You know I'm the Forest Sage?"

Zelda giggled, "Of course I do. I'm the Princess of Hyrule. I know all about the Sages and the legend behind them. Besides... I myself am a Sage, or rather I will be."

Saria fell completely silent as Zelda explained, completely flabbergasted. And as her story sunk in, she too began to feel the same familiar power in Zelda as she had felt in Impa and Ruto. "You must be the Leader of the Sages... right?" she said.

"Well... yes... I am," Zelda replied. "I, like my mother before me, and my father's mother before her, inherited the title of Leader of the Sages. It is a title and power that's passed down the Royal bloodline. And when I wed and bear a child of my own, that child or even his or her spouse may inherit my Sage powers upon the day I die."

"I see, just like how all Sages pass their powers down," said Saria. "The Great Deku Sprout told me about it when... my own powers first awakened."

"Well, Forest Sage or not, you are still Link's best friend, and are therefore a friend of mine," said Zelda, smiling at Saria. She then sat down in the grass, on her knees like a truly modest lady. "Let us sit. We have much to discuss."

Upon Zelda's invitation, Saria sat modestly on her knees, while Link sat next to her with his legs crossed, Indian-style. "I must say, Prin... I mean... Zelda... you really have a pretty name," Saria commented, breaking the ice.

"Thank you, Saria," Zelda replied, with a slight hint of pink forming in her cheeks. "I was named after my father's grandmother, Queen Zelda IV."

"You mean there were other Zeldas?" said Saria.

"Right. There are statues of four of them in the Castle's Grand Foyer. I myself am the ninth girl in the Royal Family's history to be named 'Zelda'," Zelda explained.

"Wow... that many? Does the Royal Family always name their girls 'Zelda'?" Saria wondered.

"Actually, they do," Zelda replied. "It was long ago when the sister of a Prince fell under the spell of an evil wizard and fell into a deep sleep. When his father died and he ascended the throne, he decreed that all girls born to Hyrule's Royal Family be named 'Zelda' in his beloved sister's honor."

"I bet you must be honored to have been named after so many great Princesses and Queens," Saria commented. "But... I still like your name. It's very pretty."

"Thank you," Zelda bashfully giggled. "Your name is very pretty too. I bet you were the only girl to have been named 'Saria'."

"Well... I think I **am** the only 'Saria'," Saria replied. "The Great Deku Tree and Great Deku Sprout tells us stories of other great Kokiri from the forest's thousands of years of history. I haven't heard of another 'Saria' in any of them."

Link impatiently listened to the two girls as they talked, fidgeting as he listened to the stories between the two girls, with some that he had heard before. Although the two girls were caught up in their conversation to notice, Navi quickly discovered Link's impatience and floated down to his shoulder. "Something bothering you, dear?" she whispered.

"No, it's just Zelda and Saria... they sound like a pair of girls back home who do nothing but talk, talk, talk," Link replied.

"Well, Link, girls are like that, especially when they first meet," said Link.

"You mean they talk too much?" Link teased.

Navi leaped from Link's shoulder and smacked him in the back of the head, "You know what I meant, Link."

"I'm sorry for taking up so much time, Link. You certainly have a wonderful friend in Saria," said Zelda, grabbing Link's attention. "You and Saria came to discuss what has happened and everything you have seen."

"Yes," Link replied after regaining his composure. "I was still in Kakariko Village when I sent that letter to you. Afterward, Saria and I went home for a quick visit while we waited for your invitations."

"Impa told me a lot of what had happened in Kakariko Village. Is it true that there's a creature who looks a lot like you running around Hyrule and causing all kinds of trouble?" Zelda wondered.

"Yes... he's so much like me in every way, except his skin is dark like charcoal, with clothes as black as the night," Link explained. "He's the toughest opponent I've ever battled, simply because he knows every move that I know, moves in every way that I do, and is utterly powerful. He's the reason I'm here today and not yesterday like we should've been."

"You mean you ran into him out in the field?" Zelda shrieked, obviously shocked at hearing about his second appearance. "Oh goddesses, I hope he doesn't come here and cause a lot of trouble. The people would turn on you the second you stepped foot in the Castle Town. My father and I would have such a hard time trying to convince the people that it wasn't you."

"Tell me about it," Link agreed. "If Impa hadn't shown up when we were in Kakariko Village... I just can't imagine what those villagers would've done to me and Saria. I had to prove to the people that he was not me."

"I just... can't believe that there's an **evil** Link running around Hyrule," said Zelda.

"That wasn't the first time I fought him. I also fought him before I returned home when I found Navi, and that was so far away from here," said Link. "I think he's just some evil spirit who's here just to fight me, especially because he looks like me and fights like me."

"I see. But I would still consider him a threat, especially to you. And what about the Gorons?" Zelda inquired. "Impa told me that a man who looked like Ganondorf attacked them as well."

"Yes, but he has to be one of Twinrova's minions. They all attacked our homes at the same time to try and get our Spiritual Stones all at once. If I wasn't there to stop them, I'm sure they would've eventually gotten the Spiritual Stones."

"Really? Even Ganondorf wasn't that bold," Zelda commented. "They must be desperate to open the way to the Sacred Realm... or rather free their master, Ganondorf, from his prison there."

"Saria and I were thinking the same thing," said Link.

After a short moment of silent pondering between the three, Zelda looked back up with a fearful look on her face. "You... still have the Ocarina of Time with you, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Link replied as he reached into his item bag. He quickly extracted the Ocarina of Time and presented it to Zelda. "Right here."

Zelda let out a sigh of relief, "Oh I'm glad you still have it. At least it's still safe in your possession. I fear what would happen if Ganondorf's minions ever got a hold of it."

"Actually... that's kind of why we came here," said Link. "I came to ask for your help in making sure that the Ocarina of Time stays safe from Twinrova."

"What do you mean? Are you saying that you don't think it's safe even with you?" said Zelda, bewildered at the possibility.

"After all the trouble he's gone through, especially with that evil Link, I don't think the Ocarina of Time is safe with us either," said Saria. "What if something happens to Link? If they kill him and steal it from him, then **they** have the Ocarina of Time."

Zelda opened her mouth to reply, but then stayed her tongue. "Yes... you have a point. I just... thought it would be safest with Link, especially when he left Hyrule on his long journey, in case evil ever attacked the castle. But, I guess you're right. We should find a place to hide the Ocarina of Time... someplace where evil would have a very hard time obtaining or even finding it."

"But where in Hyrule are we going to hide the Ocarina of Time?" Saria wondered.

"Won't some person or even some kid find it and then have it somehow fall into those witches' hands?" Link added.

Zelda sat silently for what seemed like hours, thinking about their current predicament and how to solve their problem. The Ocarina of Time was obviously not safe at the castle, as Ganondorf had tried to start an uprising from within the castle to obtain it. It wasn't safe with Link either, as it would fall into enemy hands if he were to somehow fall in battle. It wasn't safe with the Kokiri, with the Zoras, nor with the Gorons as their homes were recently attacked. Places like Lake Hylia came to mind, but were quickly dismissed as Lake Hylia was a gathering place for fishermen and Zoras alike, and also had a few small villages built around it. Leaving it with the Gerudos was out of the question since they had only recently allied after the fall of Ganondorf. Besides, Twinrova were Gerudos too, and who knew how many in the desert had fallen under their spell. Then, one last thought came to Zelda's mind, and it was one that would have to do. "I think I can find a safe place for the Ocarina of Time," said Zelda as she stood back up, with Link and Saria standing up thereafter. "But, we're going to need some help with both finding a place for it and to making sure it stays safe. And I know just the person who can help."

"Really?" Link exclaimed.

"Who?" Saria wondered.

"Link, please hand me the Ocarina of Time," Zelda requested, extending her right hand out to him.

Link obediently placed the shiny blue ocarina into Zelda's outreached hand. She gently grasped it in her hands and placed it to her lips. She then closed her eyes and began to play a song that was quite familiar to Link from his first journey, "_The Prelude of Light"._

"That's a pretty song," Saria quietly commented as she closed her eyes and began to slowly rock side to side in rhythm with Zelda's song. "And she plays it so well too."

"Well... she was the one who taught it to me, as well as a few other songs," said Link, though referring to Zelda as her future 'Sheik' alter ego. "Impa was the one who taught me _'Zelda's Lullaby'_."

As Zelda played the gentle prelude, a ball of bright yellow light began to shine high over the garden. Link backed away as the ball of yellowish-white light slowly descended toward the ground between them and Zelda, while Saria merely stood there, mesmerized by the beauty of the magical light summoned by Zelda's song. Once the light reached the ground, it suddenly flashed so bright that Link shielded his eyes and Saria turned her face completely away. When they all opened their eyes, they discovered a bald, elderly Hylian with pointed ears. He had a long and bushy white mustache, white sideburns, and short white hair in the back. He wore a bright orange monk's robe, with a maroon scapular with embroidered wavy patterns draped over his shoulders and hanging down the front of his robe nearly to the ground. He wore a similarly designed sash around his waist and over the front of the scapular, with the symbol of the Triforce adorning the center.

Although anyone would've thought of him as a member of Hyrule's clergy, Link immediately recognized him. "Rauru?" he exclaimed.

Rauru turned around to meet the face of the familiar voice. "Link? It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he greeted. "The last time I saw you, you had returned to the present from your adventure seven years into the future. I must say, although I have seen you this way before, you are certainly growing into a fine young man."

"Gee, umm... thank you, Rauru," Link bashfully replied. "That's a different way of saying 'Link, you've grown'."

"Well, it is true. I've seen you grow up once before, but it brings me even more joy to see you growing up under much better circumstances than the last time I saw you grow," Rauru explained.

As he spoke to Link, Saria examined this seemingly over-dressed elderly man and thought to herself. With his vestment bearing the symbol of the Triforce that seemed to be found all over the castle, he could easily have passed for some kind of religious figure serving in the castle. But appearing out of nowhere from that ball of magical light made Saria easily dismiss that thought, as no person she had ever met, not even Link, possessed magical powers like that. He was definitely a man of great power, like a wizard in the service of the King. But suddenly, she felt something oddly familiar about him, like she had met him once before. When she put two and two together, she realized the reason for both his magical powers and the familiar aura about him. "Umm..." she began to speak, grabbing everyone's attention.

Rauru turned to the pretty green-haired young lady wearing the lovely green dress, finding her to be accompanied by a fairy not unlike Link's. After examining this girl for a second, he recognized her from Link's previous adventure. 'This girl... Saria? Is it really her? My Goddesses, I haven't seen her since we sealed Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm. She looks so much different than the Kokiri child I had first met. She's not wearing the traditional attire of the Kokiri children. And not only that, she's **grown**. I almost didn't recognize her if it wasn't for the green hair, her fairy, and the familiar aura I sense in her.' "Yes? What is it, dear young lady?" Rauru inquired, hiding the fact that he knew who she was, wondering if she too remembers or at least suspects.

Saria looked up and met his wise sapphire blue eyes with her own. "Mr. Rauru... you must be a Sage too, right?" she asked.

He closed his eyes, lowered his head, and smiled at her almost immediate discovery. 'She does know, after all. Either she's a very smart lady, or... maybe...' he thought to himself.

He then opened his eyes and met hers. "Yes... Saria. I am Rauru, the Sage of Light," he replied.

Saria gasped in shock as her eyes opened wide upon Rauru speaking her name. "You know who I am?"

"Yes, you're the Sage of the Forest," Rauru replied. "I am the eldest of the Sages, and have stood over the Temple of Light in the Sacred Realm for generations."

"But... how do you know who I am?" Saria wondered. "I've never met you before until now."

"Well, young Saria, being the eldest of the Sages, I am the one who knows those who inherit the powers of the Sage. My powers of the Sage are very unique, and has allowed me to remain at the Temple of Light since the construction of the Temple of Time, the Master Sword, the Spiritual Stones, and the Ocarina of Time," Rauru explained.

"Wow, you've lived for that long?" said an astonished Saria. "I thought Sages were mortal so their powers could be passed down, which is why I can grow up when the other Kokiri can't."

"Yes, you are correct, Saria. After the completion of the Temple of Time, and thus the sealing the Sacred Realm from Hyrule, the seven Ancient Sages decreed that their powers be passed down amongst the various peoples of Hyrule upon their deaths so they forever realize the sacrifices made in sealing the Sacred Realm and the responsibilities with presiding over each of their temples. However, they also decided that one of the Ancient Sages should remain in the Sacred Realm as the guardian of the Temple of Light. He would live for all eternity and his powers would never pass down, thus he was to become the Elder Sage," Rauru explained, and then paused for moment to let his story sink in. "**I** am that one Ancient Sage."

Saria stood silent and thought about Rauru's explanation, about the Ancient Sages, and how his powers aren't passed down unlike the others'. Because of that one fact, she couldn't help but wonder. "If you're the last of the Ancient Sages, why is Zelda the Leader of the Sages and not you?"

"That's a very good question, Saria. It's because I was not the Leader of the Ancient Sages," Rauru replied. "The powers of the Leader of the Ancient Sages were passed down along with the powers of the other five Ancient Sages. And generations later, one man who inherited the powers of the Leader of the Ancient Sages eventually became the first King of Hyrule. Despite the fact that I am the Elder Sage, I still serve and will always serve the Leader of the Sages, even as their powers pass down. However, being the one surviving Ancient Sage, I act as a sort of overseer when the powers of other Sages have not yet fully awakened."

"I think I understand now," said Saria. After hearing and understanding Rauru's explanations, she thought back to why he showed up. "So you're the one who Zelda summoned to help us?"

"Yes," Zelda replied. "Rauru, we need your help with hiding the Ocarina of Time."

"Yes, Princess. I have seen what has happened. It seems that there are still minions of Ganondorf roaming about Hyrule, working to undo the seal we placed on him in the Sacred Realm," said Rauru. "I had hoped that his forces would disband upon his imprisonment in the Sacred Ream, but I was wrong. If they are after the Spiritual Stones, and thus the Ocarina of Time, then I will help you find a place to secure the Ocarina of Time so they cannot obtain it."

"Thank you, Rauru. Link and Saria came to me for guidance, and even **I** couldn't think of a good way to secure the Ocarina of Time from Ganondorf's minions," said Zelda. "I don't want to involve my father either as he believes the Ocarina of Time has been always been here and not with Link, and also believes that it is safest here in the Castle. So he worries more about diplomacy and keeping the peace and unity in Hyrule above all else. It was hard enough for us to convince him that Ganondorf had ill intent for all of Hyrule upon Link's return from the future."

"Well, Your Highness, you can depend on me to help you keep the Ocarina of Time safe from the evil that seeks it," said Rauru. "But first, we have to decide on a place to hide it."

"Well, every place that I could think of, there were reasons why they would **not** be a good place to hide a treasure as important as the Ocarina of Time," said Zelda. "We can't just simply bury it either."

"Couldn't we just hide it in the Sacred Realm since it's sealed?" Link wondered.

"No, Link. I'm afraid that's not possible," Rauru replied, sadly shaking his his head. "The Ocarina of Time is meant to be the final key to entering the Sacred Realm, and thus cannot enter the Sacred Realm as long as it remains sealed."

"Well that's no good," said Saria.

"I really don't want to send the Ocarina of Time outside of Hyrule again," said Zelda.

"Who would you have take it outside of Hyrule?" Link inquired in response to Zelda's suggestion.

"Well, since the Ocarina of Time must remain in Hyrule, the best place I can think of to hide the Ocarina of Time would be one of the five temples," suggested Rauru.

"Yes, the temples," Saria enthusiastically replied. "The temples should be pretty secure, right?"

"Yes, but which temple?" Zelda wondered.

They all stood silent as they thought about which of the five temples would be best for hiding the Ocarina of Time. It wasn't long before Link spoke up. "Well, we could hide it in the Fire Temple, but some of the Gorons wander in, out, and around the temple all the time. It's like their place of worship. I don't know how far into it they go, but if Twinrova can get to any of them, then they can find the Ocarina of Time."

"The Water Temple isn't a good place either since it sits deep in Lake Hylia," Zelda added. "There are too many Zoras who swim in the lake, too many men who fish there, and too many small settlements there. Besides, the main road between the Hyrule Field and the Faron Woods to the south passes right over where the Water Temple is."

"What about the Shadow Temple in Kakariko Village?" suggested Saria. "Link told me about all the temples. And since the Shadow Temple is hidden just past the graveyard there, wouldn't it be a good place for the Ocarina of Time?"

"It could, but I would much rather hide the Ocarina of Time as far from the castle as possible, and Kakariko Village is too close," Zelda explained.

"Well, I don't think the Spirit Temple would be a good place either," said Link. "Twinrova sorta took it over during my first adventure... even in the present. But, even if they aren't there now, Nabooru and some of the other Gerudo like to spend a lot of time at the Spirit Temple with their treasure hunting."

"So that leaves the Forest Temple," said Zelda.

Right when she heard that suggestion, Saria's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yes, the Forest Temple. That would be a really good place. It's deep in the Lost Woods, and no one in Kokiri Forest would dare go very far into the Lost Woods. Link and I are the only two who ever go there. Plus, most anyone who goes into the Lost Woods ends up getting lost and turns into a Stalfos. So I'm sure no one ever goes there."

"That's actually a very good idea, Saria, since it's also far away from the castle," said Zelda.

"Then let's take it to the Forest Temple," suggested Link.

"But how?" Saria wondered. "It takes us 2 days to walk there from here and Epona can't possibly carry all four of us."

"I can teleport us there in the same way that I crossed the void between the Sacred Realm and Hyrule," said Rauru.

"You can?" said Saria as her face lit up.

"Really?" Link added.

"Of course," Rauru replied. "I teleported here from the Sacred Realm, did I not? Now everyone gather around me."

Link, Saria, and Zelda complied and gathered around the Elder Sage not more than half a meter from him. Rauru then raised his hands above his head, which began to glow bright yellow.

"Now, everyone, you might feel a little... weightless, light-headed, woozy, maybe even nauseous. But I assure you, you'll be perfectly all right..." Rauru began to say before a bright yellow globe enveloped them. Seconds later, the globe broke up and flew into the late afternoon sky, leaving the quartet nowhere to be found. But as quickly as the globe had whisked them away, it reappeared inside the main foyer of the Forest Temple. The globe vanished, revealing Link, Zelda, and Saria with Rauru in the middle, just as they had stood in Hyrule Castle. "... once we arrive," Rauru finished, smiling as the other three began looking around, amazed at how quickly they had just traveled across Hyrule Field.

"Wow... that was... amazing," Saria gasped, glancing around the rather dark but well-decorated room around them. "Are we really in the Forest Temple overlooking the Sacred Forest Meadow?"

"Yes we are, my dear Saria," Rauru replied.

"And so fast too," said Saria as she resumed looking all around the big room.

"It's been so long since I teleported anywhere," said Link.

"It's my first time," said Zelda. "I must say, it certainly felt... well... different, yet amazing."

"But... I remember this place from my first adventure. Isn't this the main central chamber of the Forest Temple?" said Link.

"Yes, this is the center of Forest Temple, just beyond the entryway," Rauru replied.

"Wow, I've never been inside the Forest Temple before," said Saria. "I mean, I've seen it so many times since I like to spend a lot of time at the Sacred Forest Meadow. But, since the stairway's been broken for at least as long as I've been alive, I could never make it here."

"Well, Saria, you're here now," said Link, smiling at her. "I promise you it won't be your last time here."

"Link, since you've visited the Forest Temple once before on your first adventure, where do you think we should hide the Ocarina of Time?" Rauru inquired.

Link thought about it for a second, recalling the rather complex layout of the temple. "I don't know," Link eventually replied. "It's been so long and this place is so huge. There are so many rooms here, so many little corners and hiding places here, it's hard to choose a place to hide the Ocarina of Time."

"Couldn't you just hide it in the deepest room in the temple?" suggested Zelda.

"She has a good idea, Link," Navi agreed. "We had a hard enough time getting into the basement where we fought Phantom Ganon."

"Okay, let's put it there, then," said Link. With their problem solved, Link led the way as they made their way toward the elevator in the center of the large foyer. The elevator consisted of a simple large platform, with 4 pillars at either corner supporting another similarly sized platform up top. Once the four stepped onto the platform, the elevator shook with a loud crash before it slowly and gently descended down the elevator shaft with a subtle rumbling. All four and the fairies remained silent as the elevator slowly and almost painstakingly made the slow trip down to the lowest basement level where the deepest and most protected chambers lied. Once the elevator finally arrived at a rather large and circular room, Saria stepped off first. "Link, just how far down are we?" she wondered.

"Do you remember how high up that twisted moss tree we were last month?" Link asked, reminding her of their first time climbing the twisted moss tree in the Lost Woods together before their eventual first date beneath it.

Saria couldn't help but remember it. It had become so easy for her to remember all the wonderful times they had spent together, especially since Link's return from his two-year journey finding Navi. But when she thought back to the time they had climbed the twisted moss tree, and her heart nearly skipped a beat. "Wow, we're **that** far underground?"

"I think so," said Link.

"Come on, let's go hide the Ocarina of Time," suggested Zelda, getting their minds back on the task at hand. But then she discovered numerous doors, some partially covered, some completely hidden, and what appeared to be movable structures on all sides of the room. "Well, which way is the chamber?"

Link quickly pointed to a door half-blocked by the revolving wall to their right and replied, "That one."

"Are you sure? Can we even get in there?" Zelda asked.

"Of course. The chamber where I fought Phantom Ganon in the future is to the right when coming into the temple and going down the elevator," Link reassured. "It's one of five real doors in here. Four of them are small little cubby holes, while the other leads to the chamber. The other three are fake doors. All we have to do is push this wall a little, and we can get in."

"Link, I'm impressed. You actually remembered all of this?" Navi teased.

"Yes, I actually did," Link proudly replied.

The quartet proceeded toward the door to the right. They positioned themselves against one of the movable structures close to the door and pushed against it with great might. The revolving wall slowly slid, enough to reveal the knob to open the door to the chamber. "Okay, that's it," Spryte signaled, and all four stopped pushing.

With the door fully revealed, the intrepid quartet pressed on into the last chamber of the Forest Temple. Inside the fairly small chamber when compared to the temple's foyer, Link and Saria looked about, finding a set of stairs leading up to a large platform in the center of the room. All around the room, many paintings hung on the walls, each surrounded by a set of crimson curtains. Unlike the last time Link had visited this room, the paintings resembled a Skull Kid, the Lost Woods, a Kokiri boy, a grand castle, and other paintings of scenery unlike the haunted forests Link had seen when he fought Phantom Ganon.

"This looks like some kind of art gallery," Zelda commented as they ascended the steps. "Whoever used to live in this temple surely went through great lengths to keep it safe from potential bandits."

"So how are we going to hide the Ocarina of Time here?" Link wondered.

"It's quite simple," Rauru replied, and then held his palm out toward the center of the platform. His hand glowed bright yellow, then suddenly a ball of light swirled upward from the floor. In seconds, a rather ancient-looking treasure chest made from wood and ornate gold materialized. "We're going to lock it in there," he continued as he lowered his hand. "Your Highness, open the chest and place the Ocarina of Time inside.

Zelda obeyed and walked to the center of the room with the Ocarina of Time in her left hand. She slowly opened the chest with her right hand, revealing the chest to be lined with padded red velvet, and a soft red velvet pillow on the bottom. She then gently placed the ornate ocarina inside and closed the chest. "We **are** going to lock this chest, right?" Zelda inquired, turning to Rauru.

"Of course, but this won't be just any kind of lock," Rauru replied. He reached behind the front of his scapular and extracted a pair of golden skeleton keys. "Link, come here and take one of these keys. Your Highness, you grab the other."

Both Link and Zelda stepped up to Rauru and took a key from the wise old Sage. Each key glowed yellow as they took them from him. "Are these magical keys?" Link wondered.

"Yes, they are special magical keys that can only be used by the person to which they are bound," Rauru explained. "Only you, Link, can lock or unlock the chest containing the Ocarina of Time. You may go lock it now."

Link took his golden magical key, walked over to the treasure chest, and slid the key into the lock. With one twist, Link locked the chest and removed the key. "That's it?" said Link.

"For locking the chest, yes. Now Your Highness, go and try to unlock the chest," Rauru ordered. Zelda approached the chest and slid her key into the lock. But when she began to twist it, the key would not budge. She tried once again with a little force, yet the key still would not budge. Defeated, she removed the key from the lock.

"I don't understand," said Zelda. "This key looks just like Link's, yet it doesn't turn. Why?"

"Because, Your Highness, although they are identical keys, their enchantment keeps both keys from being used," Rauru explained. "Only Link can unlock this chest for as long as he lives. However, if Link were to somehow fall in battle, then, Your Highness, can your key be used to unlock the chest."

"I see. That's a very good way to keep the Ocarina of Time safe," Zelda commented. "But... what if someone takes Link, or worse me, hostage and forces one of us to unlock the chest with our keys?"

"That is a very good question, Your Highness," said Rauru. "I thought of that possibility as well. But, I'm going to need some help. Unfortunately, Link, Your Highness, I must send you outside, as what I am about to do must be kept a secret, even from you I am sorry."

"I understand, Rauru," said Zelda with only a slight smile. Rauru then extended his right hand and cast his spell. When he did, a ball of yellow light circled around Zelda and Link, and then whisked them out of the gallery and out of the Forest Temple. With Link and Zelda gone, and thus his secret safeguarding method safe, he then turned to the green-haired girl in the lovely green dress. 'If she's really becoming more aware of her dormant powers, and thus can sense other Sages, then perhaps she can be the one to help,' he thought to himself.

"Me?" Saria exclaimed, shocked that the great Elder Sage would need her help with another way to safeguard the Ocarina of Time.

"Yes, young Saria. You, like me, are also a Sage. And thus, I will need your help with guarding the Ocarina of Time," said Rauru. "As I have said, the magic that will safeguard this chest from the keys being used is a secret that only you and I can know. Even your closest friends cannot know this secret, no matter what."

"How are we going to do that? And why do you need **my** help?" Saria wondered.

"We're going to erect a magical barrier around the chest. If someone happens to take either Link or Her Highness hostage and forces them to open the chest, **they** have the Ocarina of Time. This barrier is meant to keep that from happening," Rauru explained. "I need your help with erecting this barrier because it's going to be **your** spell that shields the chest."

"**My** spell?" Saria exclaimed as her eyes popped wide open at Rauru's last answer. "But... I don't know any magic. My powers are still dormant."

"Dormant, yes, but they are there," said Rauru. "Besides, my powers are fully awakened. So I can help you to unlock one little spell to safeguard the Ocarina of Time, even if you only cast it once."

"I... think I understand," Saria hesitantly said.

"Come on, Saria, you can do it," Spryte encouraged. "Rauru's going to be helping you, so there's nothing to worry about."

Saria closed her eyes took a deep breath. She conjured up not only a spell she didn't know she possessed, but also the courage to trust in Rauru and cast the spell. She then opened her eyes and replied, "Okay, I'll do it."

"That's the spirit," Spryte praised.

"Excellent. Now come here, and stand before the chest," Rauru instructed.

Saria complied and stood before the treasure chest. But, still unsure of her dormant powers, she turned back to Rauru, "But, how am I going to cast this spell?"

Rauru slowly walked up to Saria and placed his right hand on her left shoulder. "I'll help you. But I can only help you awaken that one power within you to cast the spell. It has to be **your** spell and not mine."

Saria remained silent as she tuned back to the ancient treasure chest before her.

"Now, close your eyes, hold out your right hand, and concentrate," Rauru softly instructed. He closed his eyes and began to channel the power within Saria. "Picture the barrier shielding the chest, shielding the Ocarina of Time inside. You'll feel the power grow from within you."

Saria took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and held her right hand out toward the treasure chest. The thought of nothing else except the treasure chest and the ocarina residing within it. As she began to concentrate, Rauru's right hand began to glow, channeling his Sage powers to awaken hers. Soon, Saria's own right hand began to glow a bright green.

"Saria, you're doing it," Spryte said excitedly.

Saria opened eyes to witness herself casting the spell. A bright blue cylindrical barrier began to form all around the chest. Once the barrier was in place, Saria lowered her right hand and turned to Rauru. "So that's it? The barrier's up?" she wondered.

"Yes, young Saria. And you did it with your own powers too," Rauru replied.

Saria only frowned at Rauru's compliment, "But... you helped me to cast the spell."

"No. Like I said before, I just helped to awaken the power within you. It was you who cast the spell to protect the Ocarina of Time," said Rauru. "If anytime you need the Ocarina of Time, you have to lower the barrier before Link or, Goddesses forbid, Zelda can unlock the chest to open it. Also, it is a spell very similar to the one I cast on the keys, so only **you** can lower the barrier."

"But... what if something happens to me?" Saria wondered. "Then it'll be locked away forever."

"Well, if something were to happen to you, young Saria, and I hope it never happens, then I can lower the barrier if Link or Zelda needs to get to the Ocarina of Time," said Rauru. Then, he smiled at her, "Chin up, young Saria. You just cast your very first... well, second spell. The Ocarina of Time is now safe, even from your friends. So you can be certain that evil won't be able to find it and steal it."

Saria smiled with Rauru, "Yes... I did. And you're right."

"You're a Sage, after all," said Spryte.

"Come, Saria, let's rejoin our friends outside and return to the castle," said Rauru. He raised his hands high above his head, and in an instant, a globe of yellow light enveloped them and whisked them out of the Forest Temple.

Outside, Link and Zelda waited patiently by the tree stump that served as Link's and Saria's secret rendezvous place. As they waited, they exchanged few words and mostly wondered what Rauru and Saria were doing to safeguard the Ocarina of Time. They only had but a few moments, the time it had taken Saria to erect the barrier around the Ocarina of Time, to share any thoughts between themselves. Before they could really talk more about personal matters, a ball of yellow light emerged from the gates of the Forest Temple and descended to the foot of the broken steps. The light disappeared, revealing the girl in the green dress and the old man in the ornate orange monk's robe.

"Saria, Rauru, you're back," Link exclaimed as he ran up to them, while Zelda more casually walked up to them.

"Is the Ocarina of Time safe now?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, Your Highness, Link, the Ocarina of Time is safe. You have no need to worry about it." Rauru replied. "Now, let us return to the castle."

With the Ocarina of Time safe in its treasure chest and behind a magical barrier, deep in the Forest Temple, Rauru raised his hands above his head, and teleported them all away from the Sacred Forest Meadow. If evil was to ever get its hands on the Ocarina of Time, it would certainly have the most difficult and trying of times with getting through the magic protecting it. After all, it would take two to obtain the Ocarina of Time: Saria to lower the barrier, and Link to unlock the chest.

_end of chapter 19  
_

* * *

If you thought Saria was captivated by the world outside the forest, she was most amazed by her first meeting of Princess Zelda. It was like every story she had ever been told about castles and princess had come true. As you might've noticed from the description, Zelda is wearing her Wind Waker/Minish Cap/Spirit Tracks dress in this chapter. I've always liked that particular outfit of Zelda's, more so than even her Ocarina of Time outfits. I could've used her Twilight Princess outfit, but that would've been better reserved for Zelda all grown up. Then again, was Link any different? True, the game didn't really illustrate it, but the manga based on it did a little. Granted, this was a rather laid back chapter, but I had a lot of fun writing it. Saria sure likes to impress Link with her new clothes, doesn't she? On top of that, I have finally brought Rauru into the story as the fifth sage to be introduced in the story. That only leaves one Sage left to bring into the story. I have had readers speculate and even suggest character introductions. Believe me, I am way ahead of you. When they will be introduced is something you'll just have to wait and see with future chapters.

Despite the fact that I had split this chapter from Chapter 18, it actually ended up longer than I intended it to. As I said in the Author's Notes, I wanted to finish this installment and not split it up, hiatus or not. I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter, as a lot of events of a more personal nature have been occuring in past months, thus slowing my writing down. But I just recently got back into writing at a more regular pace, so I should hopefully be back to my old release pattern. I am starting Chapter 20 now, and I promise that that chapter will be even more interesting than the last two. Keep your eyes out for it, share with your friends, and review and critique. They really help.

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.

Have fun, Zelda fans, and good night,  
Viper Inferno  
(Y2V)


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